


Valley of the Dead

by WigletsMom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Egyptologist Ben Solo, Egyptology, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Historical Inaccuracy, Loss of Virginity, Marriage, Masturbation, Misunderstandings, Mummies, Pride and Prejudice References, Reylo - Freeform, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), curse of the mummy, there will be smut, thief Rey (star wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:48:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23536297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WigletsMom/pseuds/WigletsMom
Summary: The year is 1890. Ben Solo is a famous Egyptologist who has been granted permission to excavate this season in the tomb known as KV 5 in the Valley of the Kings. His colleagues believe the tomb to be a waste of time and talent. The villagers believe the tomb is cursed. Ben believes the tomb holds more than previously discovered. Unfortunately for Ben, a street thief named Rey also believes the tomb to hold untold treasures just waiting to be uncovered...A historical AU with Egyptologist Ben Solo, thief Rey and a mummy!
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 52
Kudos: 103
Collections: No Harm Ever Came From Reading A Book





	1. Chapter 1

_ “I am thy beloved son Horus. I have come to avenge thee, O my father Osiris, upon him that did evil unto thee; and I have put him under thy feet for ever, and for ever, and for ever” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

October 1890

Valley of the Kings, Egypt

  
  


Benjamin Solo, promising young Egyptologist, slid down off the back of his camel and unwound the scarf that had been shielding his face from the unforgiving rays of the Egyptian sun. He squinted and surveyed the entrance to the Valley of the Kings outside of Luxor. Too many Goddamn tourists already, and the archaeological season was just beginning. The sweltering summers in Egypt were far too hot for an excavation crew. Instead, the crews worked through the fall and winter months when the temperature was slightly less punishing.

Ben Solo, like many in the profession, came from a wealthy American family that valued education and studies in classical history, art, language and literature. At 30 years of age, he was already an accomplished excavator. He spoke 7 languages fluently. He had studied under the tutelage of several well known and respected archaeologists for several seasons. He was known to be a skillful artist who could copy and decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphics with ease. This was Ben Solo’s first season as his own boss, a prospect he was greatly looking forward to. He had been given permission by the Antiquities Department to excavate in the tomb known as KV5 (Kings Valley #5).

KV5 had been discovered in 1825. A brief excavation had revealed nothing of interest and no one had bothered fully clearing the tomb. Due to its low lying position in the Valley, it flooded with debris whenever the Nile flooded. Thousand of years of debris now clogged the tomb, making the main hallway all but impossible to navigate. The reliefs on the walls of the tomb did not indicate that this was the tomb of a pharaoh. The identity of the occupants, assuming there were any left after ancient tomb raiders sacked the tomb, was yet unknown. Ben Solo knew he would be the one to solve this mystery. He had a feeling that the tomb belonged to someone important, based on its location in the Valley. He could sense that this was possibly going to be one of the biggest excavations of his career.

As he walked through the gated entrance to the Valley of the Kings, an old woman shrouded in dark robes reached out and grabbed his arm.

“It is said that all who profane the tombs of the great kings will perish at the hands of Horus,” she hissed.

“Balderdash.” Ben Solo muttered as he shook his arm free of her grasp. 

If there was one thing that Ben Solo did not believe in, it was curses. Being an atheist since he was old enough to question for himself, Ben had no fear of the afterlife or anything, really. Ben Solo only believed in himself.

As Ben approached the entrance of KV5, he saw his foreman, Malik, waiting outside in the shade. Ben waved to him. He greeted his friend in Arabic, “Salaam alaikum.”

Malik shook his hand vigorously and smiled, “Peace to you also, my dear friend.” Malik preferred to speak English to Ben. He had spent many years learning the language and relished any opportunity to use it. Speaking English fluently made him desirable among the foreman in the Valley. “The man from the museum was here this morning. He said we are wasting our time here and that we will find nothing. He said Americans have more money than common sense and we should be better suited to dig elsewhere.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of my colleagues’ opinions of our dig site. I will be more than happy to accept their apologies when we uncover a magnificent treasure.” Ben said dismissively. “I want to be ready to start first thing tomorrow. Will the crew be ready by then?”

“Yes Sir, we are ready to follow your lead.” Malik said.

“Well, I’ve already been warned that we are invoking the wrath of the God Horus by desecrating the tomb. Are your men ready to fight the curse of the pharaohs?” Ben joked.

“We will be safe, by the will of God. The men are not afraid of the tombs or their occupants, dead or undead,” Malik said with confidence.

“Excellent. Until tomorrow, my friend,” Ben said, turning to exit the Valley. He felt his confidence rising with each step. Tomorrow would be a promising day indeed.

\---

“What have you brought me today, girl?” Unkar Plutt grumbled as Rey Niima stepped inside his shop in the market district on the east bank of Luxor. Unkar Plutt was a large, unpleasant blob of a man with multiple chins and little to no personality. It always amazed Rey that such a person managed to run a successful business at all. Apparently hawking stolen antiquities to tourists did not require much charisma. Most of the artifacts that Rey acquired for Plutt were so fascinating that they practically sold themselves. 

Rey reached inside the pocket of her pants and pulled out a handkerchief. She gingerly placed it on the table in front of Plutt and unwrapped it to reveal a beautiful beaded necklace made of gold and tiny blue faience beads. 

“Where did you acquire this?” He asked as he whipped out a magnifying glass to closely examine the bead work.

“Does it matter?” She asked. She knew it didn’t.

“I’ll give you a shilling for it.” Plutt said, shrugging dismissively.

“Two shillings,” Rey countered.

“One. There are some broken beads,” he pointed to a damaged section of faience beads. Rey reached out for the necklace and began to re-wrap it in the handkerchief. “Fine girl, two.” He laid the coins on the table and scooped up the necklace. “You need to start bringing me the bigger items, like some of my other sources. We wouldn’t have to haggle on prices if you brought me actual treasures.”

  
Rey glanced around Unkar’s shop. There were all manner of looted antiquities and even some skillfully crafted fakes within the walls of his shop. A tourist could acquire jewelry, pottery, ushabtis and even real body parts of ancient mummies. 

“Nobody ever notices when the small things go missing. Bigger items are a bigger risk and I prefer not to spend time inside an Egyptian jail cell.” Rey shot at Plutt as she scooped up her coins and turned to leave.

Rey Niima had been born in London and quickly orphaned. She grew up in a girls home, with a bleak future and an uncaring head mother. At the age of seventeen, after being sent to work in a garment factory, Rey had decided to leave England and control her own fate. She had boarded a boat for Egypt, the ticket paid for with months of her meager wages that had been saved up and hidden under the loose floorboard in her room at the girls home. Rey remembered the thrill of excitement and the terror of the unknown the first time she had walked through the busy streets of Cairo.

It became apparent to Rey that she was not cut out for the life of a factory worker. She knew she needed to quickly find employment. She only had a few shillings left in her pockets. She had followed tourists south on a train bound for Luxor one afternoon. When she arrived in Luxor, she knew that she had found her new home. She rented a room from a man named Unkar Plutt and lived above his antiquities shop. 

As it turns out, her thin frame made it easy for her to pass as a boy. She began dressing in boys clothing, which made it easy to navigate Luxor's alleys without being accosted. Nobody paid attention to street rats. Nobody noticed her at all, which led to her start in a life of crime. She discovered that she was quite adept at slipping her hands into people’s pockets undetected. Unkar Plutt had hired her to begin acquiring artifacts for his shop. He didn’t care if they were real or fake, as long as they looked convincing.

“Girl,” Unkar barked at her as she was leaving the shop, “Bring me something good next time, or don’t bother coming back.” 

Rey believed his threat. She knew that if she refused, there were any number of people who could take her place. There was always someone smaller, faster, willing to go anywhere. For the first time in her 21 years on the Earth, Rey felt real terror for her future. She knew she needed a big find. She needed it now. The most likely place to score a find to appease Unkar was the Valley of the Kings. She would head there tomorrow. She just needed to find one of the smaller, unpopular tombs and poke around inside. It would be a piece of cake. Tomorrow would be a promising day indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

_ Turn thou back, O messenger of all the gods.  _

_ Is it that thou art come to carry away this my heart which liveth?  _

_ My heart which liveth shall not be given unto thee. _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

\---

Rey wandered into the Valley of the Kings behind a small tour group. She seamlessly blended into the group. Nobody seemed to notice that she had not paid to join them. Today she was dressed as a European tourist. She was wearing her one and only afternoon dress. It was a cream colored dress trimmed in white lace. The sleeves were long, and the collar was high, which protected her from the sun. Rey’s face was already dusted with small freckles from exposure to the Egyptian sun, but today she donned a hat and carried a parasol to further shield her from the sun. She looked every bit the part of a respectable lady. 

As they wandered about the Valley, Rey listened carefully to the tour guide, trying to ascertain which of the tombs was most likely to be lightly trafficked. She noted the presence of only two armed guards at the Valley’s main entrance gate. Other than the various archaeological teams digging at several tombs, Rey did not notice much in the way of security in the Valley at all. She decided to boldly ask the tour guide about security in the Valley.

“Sir, I notice that there are not many guards about. Are you not at all worried about thieves stealing treasures from the tombs?”

The tour guide laughed, “My lady, you may be surprised to hear that most of the villagers in this part of Luxor believe the tombs to be cursed. It is said that the tomb occupants themselves can come back to life to seek revenge on anyone who desecrates their resting place. As such, we hardly ever have robberies anymore. The legends themselves are guard enough.”

“You mean the mummies can come back to life?” an American tourist asked loudly, causing his companions to chuckle.

“Laugh if you must, best yes, that is what the villagers believe,” the guide sensed the tour derailing and switched back to his script. “If you look to your right, you will see an archaeological dig setting up outside of tomb number seven. This was the tomb that belonged to Ramesses II, also known in history as Ramesses the Great. The body was relocated to a different tomb in antiquity when it was discovered that this particular area is prone to flash flooding.” 

“What about that tomb that was back there on the left?” Rey asked.

“Oh that tomb is known as tomb number 5 and is of no importance. Nothing of value was ever discovered in it and it didn’t belong to a pharaoh,” the tour guide went back to a description of tomb seven and the exploits of Ramesses the Great that Rey ignored.

She was casually glancing over to tomb number five, which had no tourists crowded around it at all. It would be the perfect place for her to look for something to get Plutt off her back. She would be back tonight to investigate.

\---

Ben’s crew of twelve villagers, including Malik, had arrived at KV 5 at sunrise. On an average day, he employed well over thirty people, including the wives and children of some of his crew. The women would cook for the men and had also proved useful in sifting through bins of debris that the men carried up from the tombs. Children were useful for carrying buckets of debris up to be sifted. It also helped to have small bodies that could squeeze into smaller spaces at the site. Today, however, Ben had a limited crew to clear the entrance and the first few rooms. They immediately began clearing the steep set of stairs down into the tomb. The stairs were full of debris from last year’s flooding of the Nile. At the bottom of the stairs, a large metal door had been installed by the Antiquities Department. When the stairs were cleared, Ben Solo produced the key from a chain that he wore around his neck and opened the door. For the first time since 1825, light flooded into the first hallway of the tomb. Ben felt a chill run down his spine.

He gathered his team together at the top of the stairs. “We will begin with a brief survey and map of the tomb. Once I am convinced that we have an accurate map, we can break for mid day and begin clearing the tomb in the evening.”

Several men entered the first chamber with lit torches and began the tedious process of measuring and mapping out each room. By the time the first tour group had entered the Valley, Ben’s team had already finished mapping the first three chambers of the tomb. They had descended down into a very large debris filled main chamber. Ben estimated it could take weeks to properly clear and catalog this chamber alone. He was certain that there were additional rooms hidden behind the rubble, as they had yet to find a burial chamber.

After resting and eating during the heat of the day, the crew returned to begin work on clearing the large main chamber. Within two hours, they had already uncovered shards of a broken pot and six small ushabti figures. Ben sketched the ushabti figures in his notebook and began collecting the pieces of pottery. Unfortunately, the paintings and hieroglyphics in the first few chambers were badly damaged. Ben was unable to determine any clues as to the occupant of this tomb. As the sun began setting for the day, Ben’s team packed up their equipment. Ben locked the metal door at the tomb’s entrance and put the key back around his neck.

As his crew exited the Valley, Ben walked side by side with Malik.

“Good first day, my friend,” Malik said, “I think your colleagues will soon be tripping over each other to get a look inside our tomb.”

“I share your optimism, Malik. Send the full crew tomorrow. I want to clear that large chamber as quickly as possible so we can see what lies beyond.”

\---

As the moon rose over the Valley of the Kings, Rey hid in an outcropping of rocks watching the entrance gate. She had been hidden in the spot for more than two hours. From her perch, she had watched the last of the tourists and workers leave and seen the guards lock the gate behind them. There was no one at the gate. There were no guards visible at all within the Valley itself.

“It can’t be this easy, can it?” Rey muttered quietly to herself. She wrapped the dirty brown rags around her face and slipped out of the rocks. She crept toward the main gate quietly, hugging the rock wall, hoping her rags would blend into the surroundings. She effortlessly vaulted the metal gate at the Valley’s main entrance and made her way to the entrance of KV 5. 

As she descended the stairs, she pulled a hairpin out of her bun and began to work on the padlock. In less than a minute she had opened the door to the tomb. Darkness greeted her and she waited a few moments for her eyes to adjust. She weighed the risk of lighting one of the nearby torches or trying to make her way in the dark. Rey took the risk and lit one of the torches that had been left at the entrance. She descended into the tomb and soon found herself in a cavernous chamber filled with rubble. She scanned around to see if there was anything obvious for her to grab. Her eyes fell on a set of six ushabti figurines. Each figurine was about a foot tall. 

Rey ran forward and grabbed one of the figurines and tucked it into her shirt. She made her way back up to the entrance of the tomb and extinguished the torch. She relocked the padlock, crept up the stairs and glanced around. Still no sight of any guards at all. As she scampered toward the main gate and vaulted over it, she thought to herself, _ It really was that easy. _

\---

The next morning, Ben and his crew were back in the main chamber loading buckets of debris and assembly line transporting them to the tomb’s entrance where several women were sifting for pottery shards or other valuables. 

Malik approached him hesitantly. “My friend? A word please?” Ben looked up from the bucket he was loading with a frown. Malik never asked to speak in private.

“Alright,” He said, following Malik to the opposite end of the large chamber. They were standing over the six figurines they had uncovered yesterday. Wait. Ben’s gaze swept over the figurines.

“Why are there only five of them? Where is the other one? Was it damaged?” Ben asked Malik, his voice raising in both volume and desperation with each question.

“It has gone missing, my friend. When we arrived this morning, it was gone.” Malik supplied sheepishly.

Ben’s voice was a deadly calm, “I know the ancient Egyptians believed these ushabti figures would work as servants in the afterlife, but contrary to their opinions, they do not actually have the ability to walk off on their own. Where is it?” 

Malik shrugged, “The tomb was locked this morning when we arrived. You opened it yourself. There was no evidence of tampering. Nothing else appears to be missing. All of our tools were not disturbed, and they are worth a lot of money. If we have a thief in our midst, they are very adept.”

Ben silently contemplated the missing figure. “If it was stolen, the thief is probably going to sell it to one of the shops on the East Bank. We will break for the day at noon. Send the men home. I will be venturing across the river myself.”

“As you wish, my friend. Will you allow me to accompany you? Perhaps some of the more unsavory shop owners will be more willing to speak to me?” Malik suggested.

“I welcome your company.”

Two hours later, Ben and Malik had ridden the ferry across the river to the opposite side of Luxor and had wandered to the market district. With Malik’s help, they had questioned several shop owners and market gossips, showing them Ben’s sketch of the missing ushabti figurine. No one had claimed to see the figure, but they were pointed down an aisle crowded with tourists and a rather suspect looking antiquities shop.

As Ben entered the shop, he glanced around and felt his irritation turning into full blown rage. “Everything in this shop has been stolen,” he hissed quietly to Malik. “No doubt this is where we will find it.” Malik nodded in agreement. 

Ben wasted no time in confronting the owner. He walked to a table in the back and opened his journal to the sketch of the ushabti figures. He set it down in front of the shop owner. “One of these figures was stolen from me last night. Have you seen it?”

Plutt feigned offence. “Sir I do not deal in  _ stolen _ goods. You are welcome to look around my shop but I assure you that it isn’t here.”

Ben and Plutt stood staring at each other for several uncomfortable seconds before Malik interrupted them. “Mister Plutt, my friend here is known for his violent temper. You would do well to tell us the truth.”

“I do not have your figurine.” Plutt insisted again, his face reddening.

“If anything else goes missing from my tomb, Mister Plutt, you can be assured that I will be back with the police and the Antiquities Department,” Ben threatened.

“What you seek is not here, gentlemen. I suggest that you leave.”

Ben and Malik made their way back across the Nile to Ben’s home a few miles outside the Valley. They sat down for tea and discussed what to do next.

“I suppose we will just need to take turns keeping an eye on the tomb at night. If anyone is coming or going, they won’t be hard to miss,” Ben suggested. Malik agreed and they divided up the week among the workers. Ben volunteered to take a shift next week.

Over the next few days, nothing was discovered missing from the tomb, and no one was spotted coming or going from the Valley after hours.

When it was Ben’s turn to watch over the tomb, he spent several hours staring at the stars and watching the silent valley. Sometime after midnight, he felt himself starting to drift off to sleep when he noticed a movement in the shadows near the main entrance gate. He hid behind a rock wall and watched a nimble boy dressed in rags vault the main gate and creep slowly toward KV5. He watched as the boy picked the lock on the door, lit a torch and went inside. Ben decided it would be easier to wait for the thief to come back out and then apprehend him. He waited behind the rocks for the thief’s return.

\---

After she had sold the ushabti to Unkar Plutt last week for a decent sum, Rey felt bold. She thought back to the large main chamber in tomb 5 and decided that she would risk another venture to the Valley tonight. She had convinced herself that there had to be something glittery and gold hidden there. She had visions of being able to afford a fancy dinner at the Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor. And of course she would have to buy a new dress to wear.

She followed the same path as the week prior, vaulting the main gate well after everyone had left. The moon was full tonight, providing her more light as she made her way down the path. She crept down the stairs toward tomb 5 and used her hairpin to pick the padlock. Once inside, she made her way back down to the large main chamber. 

Rey glanced around and noticed a small gap in one wall that looked suspiciously like an opening into another room. She squeezed herself into the gap, trying not to burn herself with the torch, or - God forbid - accidentally put the torch out. She found herself standing in another chamber that had obviously not been touched since antiquity. There, just a few feet away, was a sarcophagus that had been cracked and the lid was haphazardly thrown to the other side of the room. Rey noticed sitting in the sand by the lid, a large gold bangle bracelet. 

Gasping from disbelief, Rey ran over and bent down to examine the bracelet. It was beautiful! The gold bangle was covered in hieroglyphics and in the center was a large image of a winged goddess. It was inlaid with bits of blue and green glass. She couldn’t believe her luck. This place was, literally, going to be a gold mine. She tucked the bracelet into the folds of her shirt and made her way back through the gap into the main chamber.

As she had the previous week, Rey emerged from the tomb and extinguished her torch. She quietly closed and relocked the padlock, climbed the stairs out, stopping at the top to glance around. She began to scamper to the gate.  _ All too easy _ , she thought.

“Boy!” a loud angry voice thundered. 

Rey froze in place in place for a fraction of a second. It was a costly mistake. The massive form of a man was barrelling toward her at a pace she doubted that she could outrun. As she turned and ran toward the exit of the Valley, she could hear thunderous footfalls approaching.

“Stop now thief!” His voice was right behind her. She could almost feel his breath on her neck. 

She was tackled to the ground and crushed under the man’s massive weight.

\---

Ben was able to easily catch up to the boy. The little thief would not be getting away tonight. He put all his body weight into the tackle, knocking the boy to the ground.

He was surprised to hear a high pitched “Ooof!” as he crushed the boy into the ground.  _ How young was this thief? _ He flipped the boy over, one hand gripping the boys wrist tightly, another on the boy’s chest, pushing him firmly into the ground. He stared at the boy's face and his own eyes widened in surprise. He found himself staring into an enchanting pair of hazel eyes. A small scattering of freckles dotted her nose. She had thin rosy lips and a smudge of dirt across her cheek. She was … beautiful. He noted the delicate wrist which was now being crushed in his hand. His other hand, he now realized, was cupping a small firm breast.

The thief was a fucking  _ woman _ ? 

His cock had clearly noticed before his brain did. Mortification washed over Ben and he tried to ignore the fact that he was now half hard. He loosened his grip on her wrist and removed his hand from her chest. The woman took advantage of his hesitation and kneed him in the groin. Ben curled up and rolled over, temporarily stunned in pain. He watched as the woman scampered up and over the main gate of the Valley, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

The thief was a fucking  _ woman _ ?


	3. Chapter 3

_ "Lo, the lady of heaven, the mistress of the world, who devoureth with fire, the lady of mortals; how much greater is she than all men!” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

  


\---

  


“A woman?!” Malik howled with laughter, “ _ You _ were bested by a woman?”

  


Ben felt his face flush with shame as he recounted to his foreman how the thief had made off with yet another one of the tomb’s treasures the evening prior. 

  


“I was … incapacitated,” He grumbled, avoiding eye contact with Malik. “The frustrating thing is that I have no idea what she took. Nothing appears to be missing this morning.” Ben said, as he flipped through the pages of his notebook. A quick survey of the tomb revealed it to look exactly as it had the day prior. Ben noticed a small gap in one wall with some disturbed dust around it. As he peered into the gap, he noticed a charred mark on the wall, as if a torch had burned it as someone had passed through.  _ Impossible _ , he thought,  _ nobody could fit in there _ .

  


The two men were now standing outside the tomb’s entrance watching the sunrise and waiting for their crew to make their way into the Valley. As a group of their men came around the corner, Malik called out to them, “Hey Samuel, guess what? Solo here got beaten up by a woman!  _ A woman! _ Can you believe it?” The crew began to laugh and one of the men called out bawdy suggestions about how to keep a woman in line. Ben rolled his eyes and descended into the tomb. He would be going into Luxor’s market district again this afternoon to visit Plutt’s shop of stolen antiquities. He had a feeling that whatever the girl had stolen would end up there.

  


After the crew broke for mid day, Ben rode the ferry over to the East Bank and wandered through the market district. As he approached Plutt’s shop, he noticed a woman dressed in trousers and a man’s shirt walk into the shop. A woman dressed in trousers was a memorable sight. It was Ben’s opinion that the women of Luxor, whether European or Egyptian, covered up far too much of their bodies in layers of unnecessary fabric. This particular woman had brown hair that hung past her shoulders. There was something decidedly feminine about the way she had tucked the blouse into her trousers, as if to emphasize her tiny waist. Ben felt his pulse quicken, he was certain it was the woman from last night. How many women, after all, dressed in trousers? He just needed to see her face.

  


He casually leaned against the wall by the shop entrance and eavesdropped on the conversation taking place inside.

  


“What have you brought me today, girl?” Plutt growled.

  


“Wait until you see this,” her voice was light and airy, full of excitement. He noted a British accent. Ben leaned slightly to see inside the shop. He watched as she pulled a bracelet out from her blouse and laid it on the table in front of Plutt.

  


“Oh my, yes, this is lovely,” Plutt produced a magnifying glass and leaned it closely to examine it. “The Goddess Isis. Solid gold. Excellent find. How did you acquire this?” Plutt asked.

  


“Yes, I’d like to know the answer to that question as well,” Ben stood blocking the shop’s exit with his arms crossed.

  


Plutt set the bracelet down and said warily, “What’s this about, girl?”

  


The woman looked at Ben with panic in her eyes. Now that he was looking at her face, there was no doubt that she was the thief from last night. The same hazel eyes, same dusting of freckles across her face. The same tiny waist and delicate wrists. She looked very young, perhaps ten years his junior. Not a girl but barely a woman.

  


She bit down on her lower lip and looked from the bracelet, to Unkar and then to Ben. In a flash, she grabbed the bracelet and ran to the back of the shop, tucking the bracelet into her blouse as she ran.

  


“Curse it!” Ben shouted as he dashed after her. There must be a back exit to the shop. He should have brought Malik with him.

  


The girl was not getting away this time. 

  


\---

  


Rey ran into the crowded streets of Luxor’s market district hoping to disappear amid the throng of people. She kept glancing back over her shoulder but the bastard was a head taller than most of the people in the crowd and managed to keep up with her at every turn. 

  


_ How in God’s name did he find me?  _ She was not making good decisions. She very nearly turned down a dead end alley without thinking. She tried to calm herself as she ran but adrenaline and sheer terror had taken over.

  


She spied the Winter Palace hotel ahead. The hotel was a favorite of the European and American tourist crowds. They were very posh and would do almost anything to avoid a scandal or scene at their property. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage. She ran up the front steps of the hotel when the man caught up to her and grabbed her wrist.

  


“Let go of me!” She cried trying in vain to pull her wrist out of his death grip.

  


“I don’t think so, little thief,” Ben said leaning into her menacingly. 

  


She looked up into his face. Despite the rage etched into his features, he was shockingly handsome. He had dark brown eyes and dark way hair. His skin was pale and dotted with beauty marks. And those lips, Jesus help her, those lips! He towered a full head over her and she felt instinctively that he could easily crush her wrist with little to no effort. She could sense the power in his physique. Under any other circumstances, she would be delighted to be manhandled by him. She needed to cause a scene and get away from him.

  


“Help!” Rey cried using an excessively theatrical voice, “Help me please!” 

  


The hotel’s doorman waved to two guards on the veranda who approached the couple.

  


“It’s alright,” Ben said nodding to the guards, “This woman is a business associate of mine.”   
  
“I don’t know this man. He’s been following me all afternoon. Please help me,” Rey cried in mock desperation. Men always like to play the role of hero for a woman in need. She hoped these guards would help her get away from this man. She wondered if she should make herself cry for dramatic effect.

  


“Sir, the lady says that she does not know you. I need you to step back,” One of the guards said as he put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. Ben released his grip on Rey’s wrist and held up his own hands in a defensive posture.

  


“There has been a misunderstanding. I am Benjamin Solo, an Egyptologist working in the Valley of the Kings. I come to this hotel all the time, just ask the doorman. I was here for dinner just last week. This woman has something that belongs to me. If she returns it to me, I will gladly leave.” Rey began slowly shrinking back behind the guards.

  


“Sir, we will call the police if you do not step back and let the lady pass.” 

  


“Yes, let’s call the police. I’m not afraid of them.” Ben said, staring directly into Rey’s eyes. She felt her pulse quicken and worried that this situation was going to go sideways.

  


Luckily for Rey, the guards had heard enough. Rey smirked at Ben as the guards each grabbed an arm and escorted him down the hotel stairs towards the street. She turned and walked through the hotel, into the dining room and then through the kitchen, seeking a rear exit from the hotel. Nobody stopped her or asked her where she was going. She snuck out a back alley door and walked face first into the solid chest of Ben Solo.  _ Damn! I thought I had more time than that. The guards must not have noticed him slipping into the alleyway. _

  


“Is it still in your blouse?” Ben asked. His voice was quiet and menacing, “Give it to me now or I will retrieve it myself.” He took a step forward, forcing her to step back.

  


She briefly thought of the small knife tucked into her boot. She knew she had no chance of grabbing it before he would be upon her. Maybe she could charm her way out of this mess?

  


“You wouldn’t dare,” Rey said, shrinking back against the wall. “I am a  _ lady _ .” Rey raised her arms in front of her chest in defense. 

  


“You are no lady,” Ben said stepping forward. He easily grabbed both wrists with one hand and held her arms down. “And I am no gentleman.” He reached his other hand inside her blouse and pulled out the stolen bracelet.

  


“You will be coming with me to the police station.” Ben said, tugging on her wrists.

  


Rey’s eyes clouded in fear. There was absolutely no way she was going willingly to the police station. In fact, there was no way she was going anywhere with this man. She did the only thing she could think of. As she had done successfully the night before, she again kneed him in the groin. He dropped to his knees with a groan. Without looking back, Rey bolted down the alley.

  


As Ben watched her disappear into the crowd, he muttered, “This is not how I thought this day was going to go. The crew will never let me live this one down.” He looked down at the bracelet, spinning it around in the light. Why hadn’t she taken it back?

  


\---

  


Rey made her way back to Plutt’s shop via a long and roundabout route, stopping several times to look behind her. She hoped that the Egyptologist was not following her and that his threat of contacting the police was over now that he had his bracelet back. Once she was satisfied that she had not been followed, she entered Plutt’s shop. 

  


He didn’t look up at her. He was busy examining a large urn painted with hieroglyphics that sat on the table in front of him. 

  


“I want you gone by tomorrow, girl.” 

  


“What?” Rey gasped. Surely she had misheard him?

  


“I’m tired of your antics. You’ve been slacking lately. The others are bringing better finds, and the one time you actually bring me something nice, the owner turns up. I cannot have the police nosing around in my shop. It’s bad for business. Pack and get out.”

  


Rey turned and went upstairs to her small apartment. She didn’t have many personal possessions. All her clothes and belongings fit into one small suitcase. She sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes trying not to cry. She needed a new plan. Where could she go? What could she do?

  


If only that Egyptologist hadn’t shown up at Plutt’s shop! He had ruined everything! She could be dining at the Winter Palace Hotel right now enjoying her profits. That bracelet could have set her up for months without having to work.

  


What was his name again . . . Benjamin something? Samuel? Smith? Solo! Benjamin Solo. 

  


She was going to find that man and give him a piece of her mind. She picked up her suitcase, glanced around her room one last time and left.

  


\---

  


Finding Benjamin Solo’s home had been easy. As it turns out, everyone in the Valley knew who he was and they were more than happy to point her in the right direction. She found him sitting on the veranda of his Luxor home. Getting onto his property was shockingly simple. She merely smiled and tipped her hat to the guard and he waved her inside. Ben didn’t notice her approach. She casually observed him sitting relaxed in a chair with his feet propped up on a small table. He was smoking a pipe and reading a newspaper. There was tea service set out and some finger sandwiches. She could hear him muttering to himself - most likely critiquing some story from the paper. His white shirt had been unbuttoned halfway down his chest providing her with a glimpse of the solid muscles below. She stepped onto his veranda, set down her suitcase and took a seat in the empty chair across from him.

  


Ben was startled and almost fell backward out of his chair. She laughed and helped herself to one of his sandwiches. 

  


“Hi partner,” She said before taking a large bite from the sandwich.

  


Ben threw down his newspaper, stood up and looked over his shoulder, “Where are the blasted guards? Wentworth!” 

  


An elderly gentleman appeared out the side door. Despite the heat, he was dressed in a full suit, and was wearing spotless white gloves.

  


“Yes, Master Solo?” Wentworth asked with a small bow. Rey recognized a British accent and smiled to herself.

  


“Where are the guards?” Ben demanded, “How did this woman get onto my property?”

  


“Your guards let me in. My name is Rey, by the way,” Rey supplied before Wentworth could answer. She turned to address the butler, “Good afternoon, Mister Wentworth,” Rey said in her most polite voice. “May I bother you for another cup so that I may join Mister Solo in tea?” She flashed Wentworth a toothy grin.

  


“Of course, Madam Rey,” Wentworth said, disappearing back into the house. 

  


Ben turned to Rey with an icy glare, “What are you doing in my home, thief?”

  


“Since you cost me my job and my home, I figure you owe me,” Rey said eyeing Ben with a daring smile. 

  


“What are you talking about, woman?” He asked, taking his pipe out of his mouth again.

  


“I’m your new partner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos & comments. If you like this one, be sure and check out my other WIP about FBI agents Ben & Rey “The Neighborhood.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since my last update because I got distracted with my Reylo Agatha Christie inspired story "Ten Wise Jedi." I just finished that and am back to this one.  
> This story is inspired by my favorite author Elizabeth Peters who wrote a series of mysteries solved by Amelia Peabody and her Egyptologist husband Emerson. Ben is based on Emerson who is a little rough around the edges and only interested in is work. His wife finds herself in trouble frequently and there's always a murder for her to solve.   
> And now, back to the story!

Chapter 4

_ If this word then be written upon it, he himself shall rise again. _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

She knew almost immediately that her proposition of partnership was not going to go over well.

“Partner?” Ben thundered, standing up and slamming his palms onto the table.

Rey put a steadying hand on the teapot lid which was rattling from his outburst. She looked up at Ben with a smile. “Yes, Mr. Solo. I’m your new partner. My name is Rey Niima.” She stood and extended her hand, which he stared at incredulously. When she realized he had no intention of shaking her hand, she lowered it and nervously smoothed the wrinkles in her pants. Rey took a calming breath and looked up into his face with a smile. “I’m going to need a room to stay in, of course, and I will be accompanying you tomorrow to the tomb.” She grabbed her small suitcase and turned to walk into the house, leaving Ben Solo sputtering in confusion on the veranda. 

He recovered quickly and stomped into the house behind her. Wentworth had already grabbed her suitcase and was leading her back toward the bedrooms. 

“Where are you going?” He demanded of her.

  
“I have asked Mr. Wentworth to show me to an available bedroom.” She continued to follow Wentworth down a hallway. She stopped when he pointed to two rooms that were available. 

“This room has a nicer view of the garden and the fountain. If I were you, this is the one I would select.” Wentworth suggested. 

“Absolutely not.” Ben said firmly.

“Excellent, I will take it.” She said opening the door and peering inside. The room was larger than any room she had ever stayed in, not that she had a lot of options previously. She walked in and admired the view of the garden. She noted with great pleasure that there was a large cast iron tub in the corner of the room. She couldn’t remember the last time she had taken a proper bath. This would do. This would do nicely.

“No, you will  _ not _ take it because you are not staying here, thief.” Ben took a menacing step toward her. He attempted to grab her suitcase from Wentworth, but was politely rebuffed by the older gentleman. “She’s not staying.” He said looking his butler in the eye.

“Of course, sir. But, the hour is getting late. It would not be polite to cast her out this late in the evening with nowhere to go. The sun is already beginning to set and the boat ride back into Luxor at this hour would be dangerous for an unaccompanied lady. Perhaps she can spend the night?” Rey gave Wentworth a grateful smile.

Ben gave his servant a murderous look before turning to Rey. He lifted his finger and pointed it in her face, “You can stay for one night only. If you steal anything you will spend your days rotting in an Egyptian jail cell.” He let out an animalistic growl, running his fingers through his wavy hair in frustration. He turned and stalked out of the room, leaving a confused Rey and Wentworth behind.

“Is he always like that?” Rey asked, removing her hat and throwing it on the bed.

“He’s usually worse. I’ll leave you to unpack. Please come find me if you require anything else, my lady. The master prefers to dine at eight o’clock. You have about two hours until then.” Wentworth placed her suitcase next to the wardrobe and gave a small bow before shutting the door behind him.

Rey spun around in the room, admiring the beauty of the lavish furnishings. Ben Solo certainly had excellent taste in decor. Some of the touches were surprisingly soft and feminine. She wondered if a woman had chosen the decor, maybe a previous lover? A slight blush crept to her cheeks. She certainly was not going to be jealous of the specter of some other woman. And, she most certainly was not interested in Benjamin Solo in any romantic fashion at all. He was her business partner. That was all. That was really all she wanted. Really. 

Rey didn’t know what her plan was going forward. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She was fully expecting to be thrown ass over teakettle out the front door at any moment. Luckily Wentworth had been in her corner. He would prove to be a useful ally when combating the boorish Master Solo in the future. She just needed to learn the tools of the trade for a few months, then maybe she could save up enough money for a place of her own. She wanted to rely only on herself. 

Sighing dramatically, she sat on the large canopy bed and fingered the soft white cotton drapings. She pulled off her boots and let them drop to the floor. Eyeing the tub again, she decided that she would reward herself with a bath before dinner. 

***

Ben Solo paced back and forth in his study while Wentworth stood calmly inside the door. Ben’s hands were gesticulating wildly as he yelled.   
  
“That woman is a criminal! She has no business being here, she should be in a jail cell! If I allow her to stay she will simply find more things to steal from my tomb. What will the rest of society say? An unmarried young woman living alone with an unmarried man? My mother will catch wind of the scandal all the way back in New York! You  _ know _ how my mother is. One of those old biddies in town will run to send her a telegram and then she will board the first boat over here. People will say I’m taking advantage of the girl and trying to ruin her and I have no intention of doing either of those things. I have no intentions toward her at all! Do you hear me, Wentworth? No intentions of _ any _ kind!” 

Wentworth nodded along with his master’s ramblings. He moved to the liquor cabinet and poured a generous serving of bourbon, turning to offer it to Ben. “Master, if I may offer an opinion on the matter, I would suggest the best way to keep an eye on someone is to keep them close to you. And as far as the potential scandal, perhaps we can introduce her as your . . . cousin?”

Ben swirled the bourbon in the glass as he contemplated his butler’s words. “You know Wentworth,” He paused to take a sip before continuing, “I think you might be right. She can’t steal treasures from my tomb if I keep her under my watchful gaze. Hmm. Perhaps I was a bit rude to her earlier. Do you think I should apologize?”

Wentworth looked at his master in shock, unsure what to say.

“Don’t look at me like that, Wentworth. I have been known to admit the error of my ways on occasion. I will allow the girl to stay until we can find more suitable arrangements.” Ben quickly finished the contents of his bourbon and set the glass down forcefully on top of the liquor cabinet. “I need to set some ground rules with her first.” He turned and quickly made his way down the hall. Wentworth scurried behind, trying to keep up.

“Master Solo! If I may interrupt, young ladies require a certain amount of privacy-” Wentworth interjected before Ben turned to interrupt him.

  
“ _ Privacy _ ?” Ben sputtered. “What in the world would she need privacy for? This is  _ my _ home and she is merely a guest here.” He barged into Rey’s room without knocking on the door. 

Ben’s eyes immediately locked onto Rey’s. Her eyes were widened in surprise. His eyes automatically drifted down to her bare chest. She was sitting in the cast iron tub, submerged only to her waist and her upper torso was totally exposed to his hungry gaze. Her hair was pinned up haphazardly on top of her head in one of those Gibson Girl style updos and a few errant curls were hanging down. There was a slight pinkish flush to her skin. Was it from the hot water or something else? He observed that she made no move to cover herself. She must have been as shocked as he was.

This one delicious moment lasted perhaps a few seconds, but to Benjamin Solo it seemed a lifetime. He burned every detail of her rosy pink nipples into his brain. He imagined what it would be like to caress her or to envelope one of those rosy buds in his mouth. His eyes followed a bead of water as it slid down the curve of her breast, down her waist and to the surface below. His imagination filled in the details for what was hidden below the water...

“I-uh-” Ben stammered, still staring at her chest. He simply could not make himself look away. He was looking at an angel, a goddess, beauty personified. Surely some horrible fate would befall him now. He thought back to his studies of Greek mythology. Hadn’t terrible things always happened to the men who had spied upon the loveliness of a naked goddess? This was unquestionably worth the risk.

His words jarred her out of her petrification. She immediately covered her chest with her arms and sank down below the water line. “Cover your eyes!” She cried. 

Ben was jolted back to reality. He immediately covered his eyes. “My apologies! I -”

“ _ Get out _ !” Rey screeched, reaching for a nearby towel to throw at him.

Wentworth, who had strategically remained in the hallway, reached his arms inside the room and grabbed hold of his master. He turned Ben so that his back was now to Rey. Wentworth guided his master out of the room, calling behind him, “Many apologies, lady Rey. Master Solo’s manners are very much out of practice. He will behave himself in the future.” Wentworth closed the door behind them. His master appeared to be in some kind of daze. 

“She was _ naked _ .” Ben whispered to Wentworth.

“Yes master, that tends to happen when bathing.” Wentworth steered his master back towards his study. Another glass of bourbon would pull him out of his stupor. Dinner would surely be an awkward affair. Wentworth thought back to Ben’s earlier insistence that he had no intentions toward the girl at all. _ No intention of any kind, indeed. _

***

As the crescent moon hovered in the night sky over the Valley of the Kings, Farouk sat on his stool inside the main gate trying not to fall asleep. His head had just bobbed and jolted him awake. He had been serving this post in the Kings Valley for only two weeks. The Antiquities Department had assured him that it would be an easy job. Nobody really tried to break in anymore. Most of the tombs had been robbed of their primary treasures long ago. It had proven to be the most boring thing Farouk had ever done in his miserable life. He stretched out his arms and legs and yawned, glancing at his watch. Already after midnight. He might as well begin his patrol. The fresh air might help keep him awake. He stood and made sure his pistol was loaded and tucked into its holster. Straightening his hat, he slowly began the long walk down the Valley, peering down the entrance way of each tomb. There was never anybody there. He didn’t know why he bothered to look anymore.

As he made his way past the entrance of tomb number five, a movement in the shadows caught his eye. 

“Hello?” He called out. He chided himself for being so foolish. It was probably an animal or his imagination. There were no people here and the dead did not rise, despite the local superstitions. The sound of pebbles being crushed underfoot caused Farouk to still. He slowly reached his hand toward the holster of his gun, preparing to remove the pistol. He took a few small steps toward tomb five and called out again. “Who is there?” He pulled out the gun and aimed it into the darkness.

There was, of course, no answer. Farkouk stood for several seconds staring into the darkness. There were no more noises. It was probably a rat. Farouk chuckled to himself and returned his pistol to the holster. As he turned around, he was startled to see a figure standing directly behind him, clothed in strips of dusty ancient fabric. Farouk’s mouth opened in horror, but no sound came out. He was paralyzed with fear, one hand frozen by his holster, the other raised as if to push the monster away. He stared into the red eyes of a mummy. The creature raised its arms, as if to grab Farouk. Farouk stumbled backward, preparing to run.

The creature lunged forward with incredible speed and wrapped its hands around Farouk’s throat. Farouk was lifted off the ground, his feet kicking in a futile attempt to free himself. He tried clawing desperately at the hands wrapped around his throat. Spots appeared in his vision and a ringing noise began in his ears. In his head, Farouk quickly prayed to every God he could name begging for salvation before falling into darkness.

The creature let Farouk’s lifeless body fall to the ground, a silent scream frozen on his face. It shuffled down the Valley toward the entrance gate leaving behind an unmistakable strip of fabric next to the corpse of Farouk. The creature disappeared into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_ Thou hast heard with thine ears and thou hast seen with thine eyes. Millions of years have gone over the world; I cannot tell the number of them, through which thou hast passed. Thy heart hath decreed a day of happiness in thy name. _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

She had not dined with Ben last night. Instead, Wentworth had brought a tray of food to her room and renewed his apologies on his master’s behalf. The thought of having to sit across from him at a dining table after he had stared so brazenly at her nakedness was too much to bear. His gaze had not been predatory, but there had been a noticeable _ hunger _ to it. She didn’t think he would act upon it, but she knew very little of the man. In fact, she had spent the evening silently cursing her own stupidity. What if he was some sort of maniac? What had possessed her to invite herself to live in the home of a man who wanted nothing more than to see her rot in a jail cell? 

Having worked herself into a panic, she wedged a wooden chair under the door before climbing into bed. She slept fully clothed instead of donning the simple cotton gown she usually slept in. One could never be too careful. She had lived on the streets long enough to know that some men would take whatever they wanted, especially those entitled  _ Americans _ .

Now, she was standing in front of the mirror over her dressing table, carefully arranging her hair into her typical three bun fashion. She had been awakened by a soft tap at her door a few minutes ago, as the first rays of the sun were emerging over the horizon. Wentworth had a tray of coffee and had informed her that the crew always made for the Valley promptly following sunrise. When she finished her hair, she took a sip of coffee and then stood to examine herself in the mirror. She was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, her blouse tucked into a pair of men’s trousers. She would need to acquire a few more pairs of clothing now that she had someplace to stay. Perhaps she could get Wentworth to assist her. She made a note to herself to discuss it with him later.

She bent down to tuck her small knife into her boot, before standing and squaring her shoulders. Grabbing her hat off the dresser, she slowly opened the door, peeking into the hallway. It was empty. She stepped into the hallway at the same time that Ben emerged from his room at the end of the hall, just two doors down from her. They both stopped just outside their doors, eyes locking. 

Ben quickly glanced down and mumbled, “Good morning, Miss Niima.” He continued looking down and he made his way past her.

_ So now he looks away _ ? Rey shook her head before securing her hat and following him down the hallway and into his study. He was standing over his desk holding a leather-bound journal. 

“If you are serious about working at the dig site, we will have you shadow various crew members until we figure out what your strengths are. We will introduce you to everyone as my cousin. You will behave yourself and treat my crew with respect. You will obey every order I give you. You will obey every order that my foreman Malik gives you. If you steal anything-” 

“I know, I know. Jail cell. I will behave myself as long as  _ you _ will.” Rey said defiantly, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Blast it woman, how many times must I apologize? I will install a lock on your door if it would mean that we never have to discuss this matter again!” There was a slight redness to his cheeks but at least now he was meeting her eyes. 

“A lock will be fine. Tell me about the dig site.” She said, eager to change the subject.

***

After giving her a brief run-through of their dig site and their goals for the season, Ben had ordered Rey to meet him outside by the stables. He watched her slim figure as she left his study. Her pants clung to her curves, leaving little to the imagination. This whole situation was no good. The girl was far too naive to be on her own. If he threw her out, she would undoubtedly end up in the clutches of someone with far less scruples than he had. He was protecting her by letting her stay. Nothing more. Merely protecting her.

“Wentworth?” Ben shouted down the hallway. 

Wentworth appeared quickly in the doorway of the study. “Yes master?”

“See to it that a lock is installed on Miss Niima’s door.” Ben grabbed his journal and began packing his items into a leather satchel. “And have one of the women go into town and order some clothing and ladies toiletries or whatever else it is that ladies need.”

“So the lady will be staying, I take it?” Wentworth asked hesitantly.

“Yes Wentworth, the lady will be staying.” Ben slung his leather satchel over his shoulder and headed outside. Rey was standing by the stables eyeing the camels warily. 

“Have you ever ridden a camel before?” Ben asked as he approached one of the beasts and stroked its neck.

Rey shook her head. She looked nervous. He resisted the urge to reach out and comfort her fears.

“It’s like riding a slower, less intelligent horse. Just hold onto the saddle and you will be fine.” Ben made a soft noise and one of the camels lowered itself to the ground. Ben grabbed Rey around the waist and lifted her into the saddle. She opened her mouth to protest but said nothing when he released her. The camel straightened up and he saw her grab onto the saddle tightly, her eyes widening in fright. Ben mounted his own camel and steered it out of the stables and toward the path down to the Valley. Rey’s own camel followed obediently behind Ben’s. 

“I think I’d much rather prefer a horse.” Rey called out from behind him.

Ben smiled and looked over his shoulder, “Horses are too expensive and require too much attention. Camels are better suited to the climate.”

As they wound down the path of the Valley, Ben kept glancing back to make sure that Rey was alright. She looked uncomfortable but didn’t complain. There was a makeshift stable set up just outside the main gate of the Valley. The guards did not permit horses or camels inside the Valley itself. They tied up their camels and Ben tossed a coin to the stable boy. 

Ben strode through the gate, nodding to the guard. He slowed his pace when he noticed that Rey was taking two steps for every one of his. They rounded a corner and saw a group of people standing near the entrance of tomb number five.

Malik rushed over waving his arms. “My friend, you will never believe what has happened! A murder right outside of our tomb! Someone killed a guard and the villagers are saying it was one of the dead, arisen to avenge the desecration of his tomb. They found a strip of linen wrappings that looks like it came from a mummy. The police will not let us down into the entrance. They say they may close the Valley for the day so that they can investigate.”

“Oh really? I’ll have a chat with the guards.” Ben turned and pointed to Rey, “You, follow him. Do whatever he tells you to do.” Rey nodded. “Malik, this is our new apprentice for the season. Her name is Rey and she is my cousin. Try to find something useful for her to do. Get the men down there and finish clearing anything from the first few chambers.” Ben stalked off toward the police that were blocking his men from working. He began shouting in Arabic and several people dodged out of his way. Ben’s legendary temper preceded him. With a minimum of yelling, Ben was able to convince the police that his crew would not disturb their crime scene.

Satisfied that work was beginning for the day, Ben grabbed a torch and stepped down into the tomb. He quickly surveyed the progress that his men had made over the past few days. The first few rooms were fairly cleaned out. Ben wanted to either copy or photograph whatever was left of the hieroglyphics on the walls. They were in fairly poor shape and exposure to the air after this long would only damage them further. Rumor had it that the noted photographer Finn Storm was working with that idiot Poe Dameron this season. Perhaps he could ask Dameron if he would be willing to share. Of course that would require talking to him, which he had refused to do ever since that incident several seasons ago. He supposed he would need to inquire about an artist to copy them instead. While Ben was a competent artist, he didn’t have the patience or attention to detail to spend hours copying the walls.

Ben stopped at the entrance of the last room they had uncovered. He listened quietly as Malik explained their grid and measuring system to Rey. He was rattling along in Arabic and she was nodding her head in understanding. Ben pulled his journal out of his satchel and approached the pair. 

“My friend, your cousin is a fast learner and she asks intelligent questions. You didn’t tell me she could speak Arabic.” Rey smiled politely at Malik’s praise.

“My cousin is full of surprises, Malik. I need to borrow her for a few minutes.” Malik nodded and wandered away to supervise his men. Ben handed his journal to Rey. “This is perhaps one of the most important items in this tomb. In this journal I catalog everything. Every single speck of dirt, every measurement, every item that comes or goes from the tomb is recorded here.” He watched her face as she flipped through the journal. She stopped on the page upon which he had sketched the ushabti figures. She smiled and looked up at him.

.

“Did you draw this?” She asked, lightly tracing her fingers over the image. Watching her admire his work excited him. It made his pulse quicken. And, oh yes, there it was. His cock had woken up. Having this woman in close proximity was going to be the death of him. He should have listened to his mother and married years ago. Then at least, he wouldn’t have constant sexual frustration. 

He crammed his hands into his pockets, trying to disguise his growing erection. “Yes. Since we don’t employ a photographer, I often sketch some of the more superb finds. Although, you will notice that I am no true artist.” 

“You should give yourself more credit than that. This is quite good.” Her praise only caused his cock to harden more. He needed to think of something else. Something benign. Camels. Sand. His mother. Bourbon. Malik. Rey’s perfect naked breasts. Ugh. His mother. His mother. His mother. Much better. He looked up and noticed Rey was still flipping through the journal examining his drawings. She had not noticed his internal struggle, thankfully.

Rey closed the journal and held it up to him. He shook his head and held out a pencil. 

“You hang on to it. I would like you to keep our notes today.” 

  
Rey stared at his outstretched hand, not grabbing at the pencil. She was chewing on her bottom lip and her eyes looked like they were filling up with tears. He frowned as he saw her hesitation. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you what to write. You can’t possibly make a mess of it. I’ll help you.”

“Well . . . the thing is . . . I don’t . . . I don’t know how to read or write.” She said the last part in a whisper that was so quiet he had to step toward her to hear it. He stared at her in shock, not knowing what to say. Rey looked up at his face, he must have been projecting some sort of judgment because she immediately began trying to defend herself. “I grew up in an orphanage. They put us to work in the factories. They never bothered to teach us girls anything but cooking or cleaning. A girl didn’t need to know how to read or write. I did try to learn from the boys. I know some of my letters. I’m not a total ignoramus.” 

She thrust the journal into Ben’s arms before turning and running out of the tomb. Ben watched her leave, wanting to follow but not knowing what to say to make it right. Obviously he would have to teach her to read and write. He allowed himself a brief fantasy of nights huddled together in his study, reading by the fireplace. He stopped himself before he ended up with another erection. He glanced up and noticed that Malik and several of the crew had stopped working and were staring at him with amused looks on their faces.

  
“So, she’s your  _ cousin _ ?” Malik teased. The other men began laughing.

“Back to work everyone!” Ben shouted before turning and heading out of the chamber.

***

She wanted to run and hide somewhere. How terribly embarrassing. Ben Solo obviously had the highest quality education that money could buy and here she was, unable to write her own name. She felt every bit the street urchin that she was. She should go back to the manor house, pack her bag and go back to living in squalor with someone like Unkar Plutt where she belonged.

Rey stumbled up the stairs of the tomb and squinted when her eyes met the morning sunlight. She raised a hand to haphazardly wipe away the tears that were now falling. She looked around for a shady spot to hide and cry in. She was about to flee when she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs behind her. She knew it was him without turning to look. Now he would see that she had been crying and think additional bad things about her. She was a thief who couldn’t read and cried too much. Could she just have a moment’s peace?

He circled her and looked down at her face. She was expecting to hear some criticism of her but none came. He raised a hand toward her face, as if he was preparing to wipe her tears away, but at the last minute he withdrew his hand. She looked up at him, confused. Everything about this man confused her. Ben placed his hand at the small of her back, leading her up the hill toward a shady outcropping in the Valley. 

“There’s someone I want you to meet.” They approached a small tent and Rey could hear the laughter of several women and children within. Before they could enter the tent a small boy’s face emerged from the tent and looked up at them in surprise.

“Mama! There’s a pretty girl here!” He yelled in Arabic before disappearing back into the tent.

A beautiful dark skinned woman emerged, draped in a white headscarf. Her brown eyes were rimmed in elaborate black eyeliner which made them seem large and dramatic. She smiled at Ben and reached out her arms to embrace him. 

“Ben! Have you brought me any treasures to assemble today?” Her voice was soft and delicate and her English was perfect.

“Rey, this is Malik’s wife, Basimah. She is the most patient woman I have ever met. I can give her a thousand pottery shards and by the end of the day she will have perfectly reassembled a pot that had been destroyed thousands of years ago.” Basimah chuckled at Ben’s praise.

“Basimah, this is my cousin Rey who will be working with us this season. I need you to teach her everything you know about sifting the debris, cataloging finds and reassembling treasures.”

Basimah wrapped Rey in a warm, tight hug. The woman politely ignored the tears still falling from her eyes. Rey felt her burdens lifting. She was steered inside the tent and introduced to the other women. Basimah patient explained their duties to Rey and by the time the first load of debris was brought to them for sifting, Rey was calm and happy. She was surprised several hours later when the team broke for lunch. The day was quickly passing. So far they had found several large shards of pottery and some beads that Fatimah, one of the other wives, had said she could restring into a necklace. The women worked quietly, with a minimum of gossip. Rey was grateful that none of them questioned her relationship to Ben. She wasn’t sure she would be able to keep up the ruse of being his cousin for much longer.

***

Ben had decided to send the crew home much earlier than usual. The police were still lurking around the tomb and now the tourists were gathered en masse to see the place where the “mummy” had killed a man. If good news travels fast, then bad news travels ten times faster. Ben’s crew was being bombarded by questions every time they stepped foot out of the tomb. By three o’clock Ben had given up and given the order to go home.

On the way out of the Valley, Malik stopped him. “We like her, my friend. Try not to scare her away.” Malik patted Ben on the shoulder before heading off down the path toward the worker’s village with the rest of the crew. 

“I’ll try not to.” Ben whispered to himself with a small smile. He watched as Rey tried unsuccessfully to mount her camel. He shook his head and walked over, offering his arm to help her onto the camel. The pair rode side by side back to the manor house in silence.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_ “Hear ye this judgment. The heart of Osiris hath in very truth been weighed, and his soul hath stood as a witness for him; it hath been found true by trial in the Great Balance.” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

  
Rey sighed in relief as the manor house came into view. The blasted camel was walking too slowly and she had an urgent need to urinate. There hadn’t really been a safe place for her to go in the Valley. She didn’t have the luxury of squatting anywhere she felt like as the rest of the men did. She made a mental note to ask Basimah tomorrow what the other women did when the need arose. As they reached the stable, she stumbled off the back of her camel and scurried toward the house. Ben tied up their camels and slowly followed behind.

As she crossed over the threshold of the house, she turned to Ben. “I’ll be in my room. In the bath.” She shot Ben an accusatory look. He held up his hands in a defensive posture. He said nothing to her, but she understood the meaning. He would not be engaging in any ‘accidental’ voyeurism this evening. 

“Madam, if I may interrupt, master Solo had asked us to install a lock on your door. Here is your key.” Wentworth appeared from seemingly nowhere and pulled a small intricate brass key out of his pocket and placed it in Rey’s palm. She eyed the key for a second before closing her fist around it with a smile. 

“Thank you,” she quietly announced to the room, in general. She blushed and looked over at Ben who merely nodded at her.

“Dinner will be served at precisely eight o’clock in the dining room, madam.” Wentworth bowed and excused himself. Rey nodded to Ben and disappeared into her room, turning the lock behind her.

She ran to the water closet and relieved her urgent need. After she emerged, her eye landed on the nearby dressing table, which now contained several jars of perfumes, lotions and soaps. She wandered over to the table and lifted the lid of one of the lotion jars and inhaled the scent of lavender. It was one of her favorite scents. She wondered what Ben Solo smelled like. Something mascline like sandalwood or balsam, she imagined. 

Several fluffy towels had been placed near the bath. She smiled and walked over to the towels, running her hand over the soft cotton. She knew that Ben felt badly about the prior evening and was trying to make it up to her. The lock on the door was a welcome surprise. He must obviously want her to stay for longer than just a few nights. 

She had to admit, she was certainly attracted to him. How could she not be? His physique was simply . . . delicious. She had observed and admired the way his trousers clung to his muscular thighs. The way he towered above her, and stood far too close was both threatening and appealing at the same time. Remembering the way that her heart raced when he had stuck his hand inside her blouse to grab the stolen bracelet had her cheeks flaming again. She had several fantasies about running her fingers through his wavy dark hair. And his lips…

And it wasn’t just his appearance that she was attracted to. It was the way he treated his team, the respect he showed to Basimah, Malik and the villagers. The kindness he showed them and the gentleness that peeked out from behind his rough edges. There was also the intensity that gleamed in his eyes when he was explaining his work and his journal to her. He projected an air of confidence and strength. This was a man that people listened to. This was a man that people followed. He was most definitely a man of passion.

She turned the tap on the tub, watching it slowly fill with water. Glancing behind her to make sure the door was locked, she slowly unbuttoned the buttons on her blouse. She allowed it to billow open revealing the plain undershirt beneath. She slowly ran her hand across her chest, relishing the feeling of the soft cotton on her breasts. It had been a very long time since she had felt any sort of sexual urges or allowed herself to fantasize about the potential for romance. Living in the girls home had never afforded her the opportunity for privacy and living in the tiny room above Unkar’s shop she had never felt safe enough to experiment much. Her limited knowledge on the subject came from the gossipy girls from the orphanage who had dabbled in sex and shared the scandalous details of their exploits. She knew the basic mechanics of what to put where and that was about as much as she knew.

She couldn’t figure out what was so appealing about sex. The few times she had slid her fingers into her own undergarments, she had found only frustration instead of the release she heard tales about.  _ What exactly was the big deal? _ Rey wondered as she stripped off the rest of her clothing.

Rey turned the tap off and lowered herself into the water with a sigh. She sank down until only her head was exposed above the water line and rested her head on the rim of the tub. Her hands began to explore, drifting over the small mounds of her breasts, down the firm plane of her stomach, coming to rest in the thatch of curls between her legs. She sighed in frustration, thinking this would be another futile attempt at chasing some climax that would never come. 

Oh God, she was so _ lonely _ .

She imagined Ben’s fingers running over her body.  _ His hands on her. _ Her fingers slid over her folds, seeking, seeking, seeking. _ His lips on her breast. _ She ran a hand up over her breast, and pinched her nipple. _ His fingers inside her. _ She slowly slipped a finger inside herself, arching her pelvis. _ His hand moving between her thighs _ . As she experimentally pumped her fingers in and out, her thumb brushed a sensitive bud that caused her to gasp aloud.  _ What was that? _ She slowly circled the bud, experimenting with speed and pressure.  _ His fingers on her _ . She moaned as she circled her fingers faster, faster. Something inside her was building. Her legs began to tremble. 

“Ben!” She whispered as a shudder rippled through her body. Her entire body went limp. She sat in the tub until the water turned cold, wondering how she would ever look him in the eyes again without blushing.

***

“Where’s Rey?” Ben asked Wentworth as he came in from the veranda. He had stepped outside after dinner to enjoy a pipe in the cool evening air. Dinner had been a rather silent affair. Rey hardly spoke to him and when she did, she avoided eye contact. She had a blush about her face that he could only assume was the result of irritation caused by something he must have done to offend her sensibilities, but he had yet to figure out what it was. She ate her dinner quickly, then excused herself from the table, disappearing. He had knocked on the door to her room and there had been no answer. Ben had been hoping to start a reading lesson with her this evening. 

“She went into your study, master. I assumed she was in there with you.” Wentworth looked up from the silverware that he had been polishing. 

Ben frowned upon hearing that Rey was in his study unsupervised. He increased his pace to a near jog when he remembered that the Isis bracelet was sitting out on his desk. He had been making notes about it before dinner and forgotten to lock it back up. She had already stolen it from him once, could he trust her to resist the temptation again? 

As he crossed the threshold, he saw that Rey was standing over his desk. The Isis bracelet was in one hand and his journal was in her other. His legendary temper took over. He felt the rage bubbling and boiling over in his stomach.

“Unbelievable!” He thundered, storming into the room. Rey let out of a soft shriek of surprise and dropped the bracelet on the desk. The smile which had been on her face had vanished. She was still holding onto his journal. “I  _ knew _ you would try to steal from me again, I just didn’t think it would be this soon!” Rey attempted to shrink away from him but Ben lunged forward grabbing both her wrists in a crushing grip. He pulled her forward so that her face was inches from his own. “I put that lock on your door to gain your trust. What have you done to gain mine? I find you here ready to steal my journal and the bracelet again!”

“I wasn’t trying to steal anything!” She cried. She tried twisting her wrists to free them but that only enraged Ben who squeezed them tighter. 

“Liar!” He hissed. “You are nothing more than a common street thief.”

“You are a monster!” She cried, finally wrenching her hands free from his grasp. In her effort, she dropped the journal and it fell to the floor with a thud. She reached her hands out to push at his chest, to push him away from her but he was immovable. It was like a beetle trying to move a pyramid.

“Yes I am.” He whispered menacingly. “You would do well to remember it.” He held his hands at his sides, balled into fists. There was a slight tremor in his hands, from the rage still burning inside him.

She raised her hand and slapped him across the face. He could have stopped her easily, but he made no attempt to block her hand. The sound of the slap filled the room and the force of the blow turned his head to the side. She gasped as he slowly turned his face book to look her in the eyes, a red mark blooming across his cheek. 

Rey stood in place quivering, as if she expected him to retaliate. He said nothing as he struggled to contain his rage. His gaze fell to the floor, to his journal which had fallen open to a drawing he had never seen before. It was a sketch of the Isis bracelet from several different angles, and it was exquisite. 

Ben took a small step back as realization of his error dawned on him. She hadn’t been trying to steal the bracelet. She had been  _ drawing _ it. And he had accosted her, manhandled her and called her a thief. He really was a monster. How could he ever make up for this?

He looked at her face and she was openly crying now. She was inching away from him, moving towards the door. 

“Rey, wait!” He cried as she bolted down the hallway. He heard the sound of her footfalls down the hallway and then the sound of her door slamming. He was sure she had turned the lock. He couldn’t blame her. He turned back into his study and bent down to pick up the journal. He stood examining Rey’s beautiful sketch. It was highly detailed, a true likeness of the original. She had shaded it in such a way that it looked like sunlight was reflecting off of it. How had she done that?

“Wonderful likeness. She’s very talented.” Wentworth remarked as he appeared over Ben’s shoulder. Wentworth always seemed to know when Ben would be in need of something. He had, no doubt, heard the interaction between the two. Wentworth moved to prepare a drink for Ben, who stood awestruck studying Rey’s drawing. 

Ben moved to his desk and laid the journal next to the bracelet, comparing the two. It was perfection, as he knew it would be. Ben sighed and looked up to his butler. 

“Why am I always making a mess of everything, Wentworth?” Ben asked as he accepted a glass of bourbon from his butler.

“That’s usually how things go with women, sir. One step forward, two steps back.” Wentworth nodded and slipped out from the study, leaving Ben alone with his misery.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_ “Thou livest according to thy will; thou art Uatchit, the Lady of Flame.  _

_ Evil cometh among those who set themselves up against thee.” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

The first rays of sun peeking through the curtains woke Rey. It had not been a good night. As Rey exited her room, she was surprised to see a sizable leather bound book leaning against her door. She bent down to pick it up and flipped open the pages. She smiled when she discovered it was a blank sketchbook. 

Yesterday when she had seen Ben’s journal and the Isis bracelet, she had tried her hand at doing a sketch of it. She had never really tried drawing before, but it turns out that copying the details onto paper was something that she was good at. The shame of not being able to read had weighed heavily on her but being able to draw was a skill that might actually be useful to Ben. She had been so excited to show him the sketch but then he had accused her of being a thief. And she had accused him of being a monster. And she had fled to her room where she had cried herself to sleep. 

She clutched the sketchbook to her chest and smiled. This was clearly an apology attempt from Ben, and she was eager to accept it. She didn’t like carrying around anger and anxiety all the time. She just wanted to move past it and get back to work. She was determined to prove her worth to him. She didn’t want him to think her only skill was thievery. The idea that he thought so little of her was almost soul crushing. She wanted him to respect her. She  _ needed _ him to respect her.

She walked into the dining room to find Ben sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. He was muttering while reading and didn’t notice her enter. 

“Preposterous!” He muttered, throwing down the paper. He caught sight of Rey and offered her a cautious smile, which made her stomach do a little flip. It was hard to be mad at him, despite the fact that he thought she was garbage.

She held up her sketchbook. “Thank you for this.” She took a seat at the dining table and reached for a cup of coffee.

“About yesterday-” He began hesitantly. She noted the blush to his cheeks and the way he struggled with maintaining eye contact.

“We don’t need to discuss it. There was a misunderstanding and it has been cleared up.” Rey was the one now avoiding eye contact. She really didn’t feel the need to revisit her humiliation of the prior evening. 

“I feel terrible-” He stammered out.

“Ben,” she interrupted, “We don’t need to discuss it.” 

Ben was about to speak again when Wentworth wandered into the dining room with a plate of food. Rey silently praised his arrival.

“Did you read the story in the paper, Master Solo?” Wentworth inquired as he circled the table to serve Rey first.

“Yes, a bunch of speculation about a mummy coming back to life. The damn tourists will be flocking to the Valley all week now and getting in my way.” 

“I meant the bit about you in the Society section.” Wentworth said gently.

Ben looked up at Wentworth with a look of terror on his face. He grabbed the paper and frantically began flipping through the pages until he found the Society gossip section in the back of the paper. He began scanning the page. Rey saw his face turn pale. 

He read aloud, “American Egyptologist and eligible bachelor, Benjamin Solo was seen comforting an unknown young woman in the Valley of the Kings yesterday afternoon at the scene of the grisly murder. Is the handsome bachelor now finally off the market? Sources inform us that the woman was introduced as his cousin, however we have uncovered that Mr. Solo is the sole heir to the Skywalker line. Benjamin Solo is the only son of heiress Leia Organa-Solo…” Ben stopped reading and threw the paper down in anger.

“Curse it! Now my mother will get wind of this.” He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “We didn’t even last a day with the cousin ruse.” 

Not knowing what to say, Rey kept silent, as did Wentworth. Breakfast was eaten quickly and in silence. When Ben finished, he excused himself and stalked out of the dining room. Rey assumed he went to his study to pack his bag for their trip out to the Valley. She finished her coffee and took a deep fortifying breath. She had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

\---

The stable outside the entrance to the Valley was more crowded than it had been the day before. Perhaps Ben was right and the tourists would be flocking to see the site of the murder. As Rey slid down off the back of her camel, she noticed a man approaching Ben. He looked to be about Ben’s age. He was tall, although not as tall as Ben, and had dark curly hair and dark eyes. He was dressed similar to Ben, another Egyptologist she assumed. 

“Ben Solo, my old friend! I hear you had a bit of trouble outside of your tomb yesterday. Did you do something to bring the wrath of the gods down upon the Valley?” The man teased Ben. 

Rey walked over and stood next to Ben. Ben’s posture was absolutely rigid. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides. He was clearly not in a mood for conversation. The man eyed her up and down and flashed a very big smile.

“Hello, beautiful lady. I’m Poe Dameron.” He extended his hand and Rey reached out to shake it. When Poe grabbed her hand he turned it and kissed the back of it. Rey blushed and thought about pulling her hand back. She didn’t want to be rude to Ben’s colleague, afterall.

“I’m Rey.” She said. She looked over to Ben who had a look of rage carved onto his face. Was he mad at her? She wracked her brain to think of how she could have offended him within the past thirty seconds. She came up with nothing. 

“Alright Dameron, that’s enough.” Ben reached out and plucked Rey’s hand from Poe’s grasp. Ben was now tightly holding Rey’s hand. “I see you haven’t learned to keep your hands to yourself.” 

“Are you still mad about that business from years ago? When are you going to realize that I saved you from what would have been a  _ very _ bad decision?” Poe laughed and put his hands on his hips, eyes firmly on Ben. “You need to move past it, my friend. If it makes you feel any better. It didn’t work out for me either.”

“First - we are not friends, nor will we ever be. Second - it does not comfort me at all knowing you met a similar end. Stay away from me Dameron. Stay away from Rey.” Ben turned and dragged Rey along behind him. He had yet to let go of her hand. She had to scurry to keep up with his long strides into the Valley. Poe Dameron’s laughter followed them as they made their way down the path.

When they were out of earshot of Poe Dameron, Rey dug her heels into the dirt and tugged on her hand to get Ben to stop. He released his grip and stood looking at her. He had a wild look in his eyes. She shrank back a little.

“What was all that about?” She asked, gesturing back toward the entrance. 

“Nothing.” Ben muttered. “Nothing at all.” Ben turned and continued down the path, leaving a bewildered Rey to follow.

Nothing at all? She didn’t believe that for a second.

\---

Poe Fucking Dameron. Of course they would run into him this morning, of all mornings. Ben had already been in a foul mood. The disaster of the previous evening was still burning in his gut. His own guilt was hard to bear. The sketchbook he had given her had begun smoothing things over. Then there was the disaster with the gossip story in the papers. And now? Now it was Poe Fucking Dameron. Every time he started to forget, someone was more than happy to remind him. Was he never to have a moment’s peace? 

He put Rey to work in the entryway, instructing her to copy all the hieroglyphics with as much detail as she was able. He explained that the images would soon be destroyed by the elements and exposure to the air and needed to be copied as quickly as possible. Time was not on their side. Every day exposed to the air was a day closer to losing the images forever. 

The men set up a little stool for Rey to sit on and provided her with torchlight. She began working immediately without complaint. He had expected she would fuss at some point, but she worked quietly drawing until the lunch hour. 

The men worked hard today, chipping away at a passage that had been sealed with rock and plaster centuries ago. Ben was hopeful that they would have it opened by the end of the week. He was certain something important was in the room beyond. He couldn’t wait to see the look on everyone’s faces when he proved that his theory was correct. This was an important tomb. Just because history had forgotten it, did not mean it was empty. 

As the men broke for lunch, Ben wandered over to Rey to observe her sketches. She was covering her page with one hand, trying to prevent him from looking.

“What’s this one?” He asked, turning the sketchbook to look at it.

“Oh, I call it ‘Men at Work.’” She said with a shy laugh.

Ben stared in wonder at the picture. It was a highly detailed sketch of himself, Malik and several of the crew at work in the main chamber. She had clearly spent a lot of time studying him closely. He felt a little thrill knowing she was probably sneaking glances at him all morning. 

He flipped back and looked at several pages of neatly copied hieroglyphics. He held them up to the wall to check for accuracy and nodded in approval. “Very good. You’ve captured a lot of detail here. Almost like a photograph. Remarkable.” 

He looked to her face and noticed that it was flushed pink and sweat was beading on her forehead. Her blouse was clinging to her body as well. He felt his gaze drift to her cleavage before forcing himself to stop and look in her eyes. Had she noticed him staring at her chest?

“After lunch I want you to sit with Basimah again. It’s too hot today for you to be in here for much longer.” 

Rey started to protest, but Ben raised his hand to cut her off before she could get a word out. 

“Before you start, I don’t allow any of the crew to spend the entire day here. We rotate out in shifts. The air down here is not fit to breathe all day long. Let’s go eat.” 

Rey nodded and closed her journal, following Ben outside.

\---

After lunch, Rey stayed in the women’s tent, making sketches of the pottery that Basimah had reassembled. The women had looked at her sketchbook and admired her drawings from this morning. Basimah was especially intrigued by the sketch of the workmen.

“You’ve managed to catch a glimmer of mischief in my husband’s eye.” She said with a laugh, handing the book back to Rey. 

Rey examined the sketch and lightly ran her finger over Ben’s image. She couldn’t forget the encounter with Poe Dameron this morning. Surely Basimah would know what had happened between the two. She picked her pencil back up and began to sketch, casually asking, “Why doesn’t Ben like Mr. Dameron?” Rey maintained focus on the pottery shards. For some reason she couldn’t look up at Basimah’s face. She didn’t want to seem too interested in Ben. The ladies might get the wrong impression.

Basimah leaned forward and whispered, “That’s quite the story. It involves _ a woman _ .” 

“A woman? They argued about a woman?” Rey looked up, shocked. She pictured Ben Solo as a perpetual bachelor. Of course, it would be silly to assume that he had never showered affection upon another woman at some point in his youth. She wasn’t sure she needed details but she couldn’t stop herself from listening.

Basimah continued in a low voice, “This was about six years ago, when they were both new to the Valley. Ben had just started interning with Lord Stockton’s team. Lord Stockton had a very pretty niece, named Charlotte. They fell in love and Ben proposed marriage. Just a week before the wedding was to take place, Ben caught her in bed with Poe Dameron.”

Rey gasped. “How awful! He must have been heartbroken.” Well, that certainly explains the hostility that Ben had shown Mr. Dameron this morning.

Basimah nodded. “It gets worse. Dameron was one of Ben’s closest friends. They knew each other from America, and ran in the same social circle. Dameron was to be the Best Man at his wedding. They had some sort of drunken altercation and Ben got thrown into a jail cell for the night. That’s how he met Malik.” 

“Malik was in jail too?” Rey’s head was spinning. She felt like she was learning about Ben’s darkest secrets and she felt ashamed for finding the details so fascinating. 

“Oh, no. Malik was there to bail out one of his brothers. They are a rowdy bunch. He saw Ben, all bloody and depressed sitting in the corner of the cell. Malik said it was like looking at a lost little kitten. He bailed him out of jail that morning and the two of them have been friends ever since.”

“What happened to the woman? To Charlotte?” She hoped it was something horrible. 

“Oh, well as it turns out, Poe had even less money than Ben. She left him soon after. And now, I believe she is married to an Earl. Poor Ben took a very long time to recover. When I first met him, he was very bitter. Even worse than he is now. He has softened up a bit. But he hasn’t courted anyone since Charlotte. He has kept his heart very closely guarded. Poe has, of course, moved on to many many women since then. He has a terribly scandalous reputation. Ben hasn’t spoken to Poe in many years.”

“Well I don’t blame him. I don’t think I like this Poe Dameron character at all.” Rey shook her head and resumed her sketch of the pottery shards.

“Well, that’s the thing about people. You can’t really tell what sort of person they are just by looking. You have to really get to know them.” 

Rey nodded in agreement. Aaah, Basimah. Very wise.

\---

By the end of the work day, Ben had seemed to be in a better mood. Work was very distracting, in a good way of course. Rey had found her own spirits lifting as she sketched. She had worn a pencil down to a tiny nub in just one day of sketching. She had copied the hieroglyphics from the entryway, made sketches of the men digging and copied several pieces of pottery. She had even started a sketch of Basimah, that the woman was not aware of. 

They rode their camels side by side back to the house. Ben was quiet, deep in thought. Rey kept sneaking sideways glances at him. He did not notice her thoughtful stares. 

Neither of them noticed a figure following them from a distance.

When they arrived back at Ben’s house, Wentworth presented Ben with an envelope that had arrived earlier in the day. It was thick, expensive looking paper sealed with wax.

Ben ripped open the envelope in a careless fashion and groaned after reading it. He threw the paper down on the desk of his study and sank into his chair. Rey and Wentworth stood silently waiting for Ben to tell them the news.

“Lord help us. My Mother’s dearest friend, Amilyn Holdo, is throwing a ball on Saturday. Curse it! It will be a scandal if I do not attend.”

Wentworth immediately went to the liquor cabinet to pour his master a bourbon.

“Master Solo does not enjoy social events.” Wentworth explained to Rey. “And Lady Holdo’s events last all night and into the morning.” 

“Well, I for one am very excited!” Rey exclaimed. “I’m going to need a very fancy dress, of course. And shoes. And gloves. Lots of shopping must be done.”

“I know just the shop that can help. Let me take care of it for you Lady Rey.” Wentworth said with a bow. He returned to the liquor cabinet and poured another glass for Rey.

“Excellent!” Rey smiled. “I’ve never been to a ball before!” Rey took the glass of bourbon from Wentworth and sat with Ben in his study while dinner was being prepared.

  
Later that night, as she was laying in bed, she was kept awake by the panicked thought that she had no idea how to dance.

\---

In the dark alleyways of Luxor, a figure in a dark shroud slunk down behind a heap of garbage to wait. He did not have to wait long, and was soon joined by another. 

“It’s her.” Said the first figure to the other.

“You’re sure?” The second figure questioned.

“Absolutely. I’d recognize her scrawny figure anywhere. She’s staying with the Egyptologist Benjamin Solo. In his house. Like a common whore.” He had followed them from the Valley back to the manor house. The girl was totally unaware and the man had seemed preoccupied. 

“I read about him in the paper today. So that little street rat is the mystery woman? He was the one who came into my shop and caused trouble. She stole the bracelet from him and now it seems that she’s spreading her legs for him. I wonder if this Solo would pay to keep it quiet that his mystery woman is a common thief?” A slow smirk crawled across Plutt’s face as he considered all the possibilities that lay before him. Blackmail. How exciting.

“Men like him have deep pockets.” His friend agreed.

“I’m sure you can figure out a way to work this situation to our advantage. I want the girl ruined and I want that bracelet back.” Plutt stood and brushed his cloak free of garbage. “I trust you can figure out the details.”

His friend stood and the two shook hands. “Of course, my friend. You can count on me.” The man disappeared into the dark of the Luxor night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra long chapter since you have all been patiently waiting for this update. Thank you for all the comments and kudos. And now, on to the ball! And also a mummy sighting!
> 
> Rey’s dress is inspired by this: [ Click here ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/309341068156799409/)
> 
> The Isis bracelet looks like this:[ Click here ](https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-sfxrc)

Chapter 8

_ “I protect thee with this flame, and I drive away him, the foe, from the valley of the tomb.” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

Rey’s week went by in a whirlwind. Ben had been especially kind to her, and had given her space without questioning her. She had managed to copy the hieroglyphics in the entryway and had moved on to the larger chamber. In between her copying, she had made several more sketches of the men at work. She watched, fascinated as they chipped away at a door that had been sealed centuries before. Ben had told her that it would be fully opened by next week. Malik had let her take a turn with a chisel and she had to admit that it was hard work. She had chiseled for almost an hour and it looked like she had barely touched the doorway at all. 

Ben had been in a good mood and she had caught him on more than one occasion smiling to himself. There were no more “mummy” sightings and no more murders so the crowds in the Valley quickly died down.

They spent their evenings in Ben’s study, huddled together over a book. Ben was teaching her to read, and the progress was painstakingly slow. He never lost his patience with her and was always encouraging her. He had procured a primary school reader to use in his instruction, to Rey’s great embarrassment. However, her confidence was slowly growing and there were several words she could recognize without prompting. 

On Wednesday, Ben had ordered her to return home at lunch time. Wentworth had made an appointment for her at a fancy dress shop in Luxor. An old friend of his named Maz Kanata owned a popular shop and had promised her dear friend that she could alter a gown to Rey’s measurements in time for Saturday’s ball.

Later that evening, Rey found herself standing in her undergarments on a stool in Maz Kanata’s shop while the older woman circled her taking measurements with quiet efficiency. Rey had been mortified to be in her underthings but the older woman made no comments about her clothing or her appearance. The shop had been closed to customers, and there was no danger of anyone wandering in to see her so scantily clad. Maz pushed her large glasses up her nose and jotted measurements down on a scrap of paper.

After the measurements were done, Maz led Rey into a back room containing shelves of shimmering and silky fabrics. Rey wandered around for quite some time, running her hands over the fabrics and imagining them wrapped around her. She stopped when she found a lilac colored bolt of silky fabric. She smiled and pointed. 

“This is the one.” Rey couldn’t wait to see what sort of creation Maz would turn this bolt of fabric into.

“You have excellent taste. Don’t worry darling, I’ll have the dress ready on time. And trust me, Master Solo won’t be able to stop himself from falling in love with you. Assuming of course that he isn’t already.”

“Oh, no. He doesn’t think of me like that. I’m just his apprentice.” Rey mumbled, a telling blush appearing on her cheeks. “He doesn’t have a romantic interest in me at all.”

The older woman took a step back and looked at her face. “He left me explicit instructions to make you whatever you desired and indicated that my budget was unlimited. That’s not something a man says for a mere  _ apprentice.” _

Rey considered Maz’s words later that evening on the trip back to Ben’s home. Did he think of her in a romantic way? The more she considered it, the more the evidence seemed to point to the possibility. He had given her a room in his home. He had given her a job. He had paid for clothing and toiletries. He was teaching her to read at night in his study . . . huddled closely by the fireplace . . . and. Oh.  _ Oh _ . He’s in love with her? No. No. She was looking into things too closely. He provided a poor urchin food and shelter and a job, nothing more. 

As soon as Rey made it back to their house, she sought out Wentworth. She had no idea how to dance and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself or embarrass Ben at the ball on Saturday. Could a person learn to dance in three days? She certainly hoped so.

\---

On Wednesday evening, Ben found himself sitting alone at the dining room table waiting for dinner to be served. Rey had not returned from her dress fitting in Luxor. His food had not been served yet and Wentworth was nowhere to be found. Ben turned to look at the clock on the mantle. It was extremely unusual for Wentworth to be late with dinner service. Maybe the cook had some sort of culinary disaster? Ben waited patiently for several more minutes before standing to go in search of his dinner. 

As he approached the kitchens, he heard several voices, including Rey’s. He frowned, wondering when she had returned and why she had not come to see him. Ben lingered in the hallway, listening to the conversation within.

“Now, the most important thing to remember is that the man will lead. Master Solo is a very skilled dancer. He will know what to do. Just follow his lead. Always be cognizant of your posture and remember not to look down at your feet. The first dance we will learn tonight is the one you will hear most often at the ball and it is called a waltz.”

She was learning to dance?

“Am I doing this right? I don’t want to embarrass him.” The despondent tone of her voice hurt him as if he had been cut with a knife.

“Yes, Lady Rey. You are doing very well. Remember to keep your eyes up. Excellent.”

She was worried about making _ him _ look bad at the ball? 

“We had better stop here for this evening. Master Solo will surely be wondering where his dinner is.” 

Ben hurried down the hall and back to the dining room before he was caught spying. For the next two nights, he lingered outside the kitchens, listening as Wentworth and the cook aided Rey in her dance lessons. 

\---

By Saturday afternoon, Rey was a ball of nervous anxiety. She had learned a few basic dances and was not confident that she was going to blend into the crowd. She certainly did not want to stand out for the wrong reasons. 

A box had arrived from Maz’s shop earlier that morning. Rey gasped as she opened the box containing her ballgown. She lifted the silky violet dress and smiled. The silky sheer fabric was adorned with gold brocade at the bottom and down the length of the skirt. The bodice had a tiny waist, something that would emphasize her small figure. More gold brocade decorated the bodice. The dress had a square neckline which came shockingly low. Rey blushed at the thought of that much of herself  _ on display _ for the society of Luxor. There was no bustle, instead the dress had a small train of silky fabric. There were matching satin gloves and a small lacy fan. It was an ensemble fit for royalty. Madam Kanata had certainly done marvelous work in a very quick time frame. Rey wondered what sort of creations Maz could make if given a proper deadline. 

Rey took pains to properly style her hair into a fashionable updo and applied her makeup. After spritzing rose water perfume all over herself, she stepped back to examine the results in the mirror. She supposed she looked presentable. Her ultimate goal was to look like she belonged among high society and not to disgrace Ben. 

As Rey stepped into the study, trying not to trip in her heeled evening shoes, she noticed a flicker of some emotion across Ben’s face. He quickly regained control and the calm mask he usually wore slid back over his features.

“You look…” His voice trailed off. Rey noticed he was holding the Isis bracelet in his hands. He shook his head slowly, as if clearing his thoughts. “I was thinking you might wear this tonight to show it off to some of the high society. Maybe we can attract a potential investor to sponsor our future digs.” He slid the bangle onto Rey’s arm. 

“Thank you.” Rey whispered. She lowered her gaze and accepted Ben’s arm as he led her out to the waiting carriage. She felt like a fairytale princess. 

\---

Beautiful. You look beautiful. Curse it. He should have said it instead of chickening out. He had no fear when it came to climbing into dark and dusty tombs. But women . . . that was another matter. How could he be blamed after his last courtship had ended so poorly? As the carriage rode them toward the docks, Ben kept sneaking glances at Rey out of the corner of his eye. She was holding her fan in her lap, nervously opening and closing it. He reached a hand out to place on her knee.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m nervous too and I’ve been to a lot of these things over the years. My Mother always made me attend.” 

Rey smiled and looked up at him. He wanted to kiss her. If he just leaned forward a little bit he could - NO. He had to behave himself. And the last thing he needed was to walk around all evening with his cock half hard. It was then that he realized his hand was still on her knee. He pulled it back quickly and muttered an apology.

When he turned back to her, Rey was looking out of the carriage window at the Luxor docks. They would still need to board a boat to cross the Nile. Lady Holdo lived on the eastern back of Luxor, as did most of high society. Ben was much more comfortable living on the western edge of Luxor, closer to the Valley of the Kings. 

The rest of their journey transpired in silence. He supposed Rey was either angry at him for his inappropriate hand on her knee or she was nervous about the ball. He watched her take a very deep breath before taking his arm to step out of the carriage outside of Holdo Manor. Her eyes widened as she took in the massive stone building in front of them. 

Ben had known Lady Holdo since his childhood. She was a long time widow who had been best friends with his Mother. The woman was sinfully rich and sinfully gossipy. She would, no doubt, be reporting all of his activities this evening back to his Mother. He couldn’t wait to see the strongly worded letter that she would be sending him in the next few weeks. He should have warned Rey about Lady Holdo. Oh well.

As they climbed the marble stairs, they became enveloped in a crowd of impeccably dressed men and women. Ben kept his eyes (and his arm) on Rey as they entered the ballroom. He smiled as she gasped in wonder. It was, admittedly, an impressive sight with it’s shiny wooden floors, heavy velvet draperies, Roman style columns and glittering crystal chandeliers. 

“I take it that you are impressed with Lady Holdo’s Manor.” Ben whispered to Rey.

“You don’t have a ballroom in  _ your _ home.” Rey leaned her head close to him to tease him.

“Not in my Luxor home.” He winked at her, “But my family estate in America has a ballroom that is the size of this entire Manor.”

Rey's melodic laughter attracted the attention of their hostess. Ben cringed as the dragon approached, clothed in a deep red velvet dress. The woman was easily twice his age and her dress was scandalously low cut. He supposed a widow could wear her neckline as low as she damn well pleased. Apparently what pleased her was to have her nipples popping out of her dress. Perhaps she was trying to lure a new potential husband into her lair. He pitied whatever man it was.

“Benjamin Solo! How lovely to see you again!” She extended both her arms and embraced him, planting a kiss on each cheek. “It has been far too long. I’m so delighted that you decided to come.” She then turned her attention to Rey. Her sharp eyes scanned Rey from head to toe looking for any possible flaws to exploit. Ben held his breath, preparing for some harsh criticism. 

“Lady Holdo, this is Rey Niima. Miss Niima is my apprentice for this season and is a very skilled artist.” Ben decided not to mention their living arrangements for the moment. No doubt Lady Holdo was already in possession of that knowledge. It was always a game with these society women. No matter what you did or what you said, they were always ten steps ahead of you.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Holdo.” Rey extended her arm to shake hands with Amilyn. Ben watched as the older woman turned Rey’s wrist to admire the Isis bracelet.

“Miss Niima, what a lovely bracelet. Is it from one of the shops in the Luxor market?” Ben ignored the insult, knowing damn well that no woman of high society would be caught dead shopping in one of the trinket shops in Luxor.

“Actually, it’s one of the treasures uncovered in our tomb this season.” Ben supplied airily, “You should see the sketches Rey made of them. They look even better than the real thing.” 

Amilyn let go of Rey’s arm and tiled her head to the side. “Is that a British accent I’m detecting? Did you study art in London? Who did you study with?” Ben made an effort to contain his aggravation. He knew Amilyn would pester Rey until the poor girl was in tears if he didn’t intervene. He was about to steer the subject in another direction when a heavy arm clamped him on the back.

“Solo! I thought you never came to these things anymore.” 

Poe Fucking Dameron. Thank Christ for his lack of decorum. He had interrupted at precisely the right moment. 

“Dameron.” Ben said brusquely.

“Hello again, Miss Niima.” Poe’s glance drifted down to Rey’s cleavage and Ben felt his blood starting to boil. Lady Holdo noticed Ben’s clenched fists. 

“Now gentlemen, I hope there won’t be any hostilities between the two of you this evening. I just had these floors polished.” Lady Holdo teased. 

“Lady Holdo, I promise to be on my best behavior this evening. May I steal you away for a few moments?” Poe had looped his arm through Amilyn’s and was now staring unabashedly at her cleavage. 

The man had absolutely no scruples at all. Ben forced his fists to unclench and plastered a false smile on his face. He glanced over to Rey who looked like a small animal frozen in the presence of a predator.

“Of course, Mr. Dameron. Please forgive me Benjamin, and Miss Niima. We will talk again soon. Enjoy the party.” 

Ben watched a visible sigh escape Rey as soon as the pair had disappeared into the crowd. 

“I think we need some liquid courage.” Ben said, leading Rey toward the punch bowl. Rey quickly drained her glass and poured another. 

  
For the next two hours, they mingled among the guests making polite conversation. They managed to avoid being trapped by Lady Holdo again. Ben was very popular since he rarely attended social functions. There were many old friends of his parents that approached them to be introduced and discuss his family or his work in the tomb. Rey was a perfect companion for the evening. Her laughter and sweet demeanor put even the grumpy older gentlemen at ease. She showed the Isis bracelet off to anyone that would glance at it. Ben had several offers already to sponsor future dig seasons. 

Sometime around midnight, the musicians set up and the floor was cleared so that dancing could begin. 

“Miss Niima, would you care to dance?” Ben stood a pace away, his palm upturned. He sensed Rey’s hesitation. He wondered if she would refuse him. Could he survive such a rejection?

“Please.” He whispered, his hand still extended. 

She slowly reached out and accepted his hand. She looked frightened and uncertain. He wanted nothing more than to kiss away her fears.

“Trust me.” He whispered to her as his arm circled her waist, sweeping her onto the dance floor. 

For seven dances, Ben kept his arms on Rey. Seven glorious dances. If there were other suitors intending to approach, they were deterred by the look on the couples faces. Ben’s eyes never left Rey. Rey’s eyes never left Ben. She followed his lead flawlessly. She never stumbled or stepped on his toes. He would not have guessed that she had never danced before.She felt like she belonged in his arms. Like she was made for him and he was made for her. Destiny. Fate. The will of whatever Gods were looking down on them. The music became faint as they spun and twirled and made their way around the ballroom. He was enchanted. A magical spell had surely been cast over them. Ben never wanted this evening to end.

\---

When the dancing finished, Ben and Rey stood regarding each other quietly. The musicians announced that a short break would be taken before resuming. The crowd moved around them but neither noticed. They could only see each other. Rey felt like she was seeing Ben in a different light. Had Maz been right, could he already have feelings for her? No. Surely it wasn't possible? At best, he only thought of her as a work colleague, at worst she was just a street thief. There was no world in which someone like Ben Solo would love someone like Rey. They were from different worlds. The gossipy society ladies had certainly been polite to her face this evening, but Rey knew that given the first opportunity they would tear her to shreds. 

“Walk with me?” Ben whispered. Rey looked up into his eyes, which seemed to glitter under the ballroom lights. A spell had certainly been cast over them this evening.

Rey nodded quietly and took the arm that he offered. He steered her through the sea of bodies to the back of the ballroom and out onto the terrace. The pair slipped outside into the cool evening air. Several of the gossipy society women, including the hostess, noticed the pair disappear outside unchaperoned and began whispering to each other behind their fans. They had, of course, noticed the way the pair had clung to each other during dance after dance.

Ben led Rey down the stairs and into the small rose garden behind the home. Lady Holdo had taken great pains to try and recreate a British garden behind her home. Many of the flowers were not suited to this climate but were somehow thriving. Rey wondered how she managed to maintain this much green in the desert. The pair stopped as they reached the base of a small fountain with a cherub statue in the center. 

The heavy scent of the roses was clouding Rey’s senses. The look in Ben’s eyes made her shiver. She felt like she should say something. “Ben. I-” Rey began. 

Ben interrupted whatever she had been about to say by looping one arm around her waist and pulling her body to his. Her hands were trapped between them and rested on the firm expanse of the muscles of his chest. Ben’s other hand went to her chin and tipped her head back. Rey’s eyes widened in surprise as he brought his mouth down on hers. All thought, all reason left her as she surrendered to the moment.

This kiss went on seemingly forever. Ben’s lips crushed against hers. Rey had never been kissed before, so as she had done with the dance, she let him take the lead. She pressed her lips against him, mimicking his motions. Ben’s hand drifted from her chin down the side of her neck and further down to the low neckline of her dress. He gently tugged the neckline down, exposing her left breast to the cool evening air. He cupped her breast in his palm and gently squeezed. Rey moaned into Ben’s mouth and dug her fingers into his shirt front. Her lips parted as she moaned and Ben took advantage of her parted lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She was too lost in Ben Solo to care if anyone should see them.

As Ben’s fingers teased her exposed nipple, Rey felt her heart pounding in her chest. She wondered if Ben could hear it too. Her legs were going weak. If Ben didn’t still have his arm firmly around her waist, she would have collapsed onto the ground. His lips on hers felt like heaven. She was trembling under his ministrations. He pulled away from the kiss, his forehead pressed to hers. They were both breathing heavily. The sound of footsteps on the gravel went unnoticed by the pair.

“Benjamin Solo! You should be ashamed of yourself!” Lady Amilyn Holdo appeared around the rose bushes. She rushed forward waving her fan menacingly and separated the lovers. Rey hastily adjusted the neckline of her dress, blushing a shade of crimson almost as dark as Lady Holdo’s gown. “Imagine how your poor Mother will feel when she hears what her son has been up to! Two unmarried persons living together! Molesting this poor young girl in the rose garden! Have you no shame?” Amilyn grabbed Rey’s arm and began dragging her back toward the house. “Come with me, young lady. This  _ scoundrel _ will ruin you.” 

Rey allowed herself to be dragged several feet before they were halted by several screams coming from within the ballroom. A servant rushed out onto the terrace and began screaming for Lady Holdo.

“Lady Holdo! Come quickly, the mummy has been spotted just outside! One of the coachmen has been attacked!” 

Lady Holdo released Rey’s arm and gathered up her voluminous skirts, sprinting for the ballroom. Rey raised her hand to her neck and took several deep breaths. Her heart was still beating erratically. She felt a flush of shame at allowing things to go so far with Ben, in a public garden no less! Lady Holdo would no doubt be telling everyone what a shameful trollop she was.

The light touch of a hand on her arm caused her to squeak in surprise. She had almost forgotten that Ben was still there. He silently offered her his arm, which she accepted. His face was unreadable. Did he regret kissing her? Did her lack of experience turn his affections away? Neither of them spoke. It was as if they had made a secret agreement not to discuss what had just occurred in the rose garden. 

They made their way back into the ballroom, where panicked people were chatting nervously. Rey worried that news of their tryst in the rose garden would be the topic of conversation but nobody bothered them. The party goers were instructed by the police to remain inside the ballroom while they removed the body from the street in front of Holdo Manor. Apparently one of the coachmen had been strangled. Several people claimed to have spotted the mummy leaving the scene of the murder and there were rumors that the creature left behind a piece of its wrappings as a warning to others. 

“Idiotic.” Ben muttered quietly to Rey. “What reason would a mummy have to kill a coachman? A bunch of hysterical people accusing a fictitious monster when a real killer is obviously running around Luxor.” 

Lady Holdo instructed the musicians to resume playing. Guests were too scandalized to go back to the previous carefree party atmosphere. There were several couples that continued dancing, but the majority moved in small circles engaging in conversation. Rey had several more glasses of the punch and avoided the judgmental looks from the old biddies. It was well after two o’clock in the morning when the police finally allowed the party goers to leave. 

Rey was exhausted, knowing that they still had to face a boat ride across the Nile and then another carriage ride to Ben’s home after that. She would have to be awake for at least another hour. Thankfully it was Sunday tomorrow and the team was not scheduled to work. She could sleep in until the afternoon. She smiled as she accepted Ben’s help into their carriage. She removed her gloves and loosened the straps on her high heeled shoes. She promptly fell asleep within mere minutes of sitting down.

\---

Ben wrapped an arm around Rey’s sleeping form and pulled her into his chest as the carriage bumped along the uneven streets of Luxor heading toward the docks. She had passed out from exhaustion almost immediately upon sitting. He chastised himself for not noticing her fatigue earlier. 

Ben recounted the events of the evening in his head. He was far too pleased with Rey’s reaction to his  _ attention _ in the rose garden to be embarrassed. So what if Lady Holdo had seen them? His mother was safely across an ocean. If he had his way, Rey would be his proper wife by the time she caught wind of any hint of scandal.

He tried to steady his heartbeat as he looked down at Rey’s sleeping form. He wasn’t precisely sure when it happened but he was thoroughly and undeniably in love with her. 

By the time the carriage reached the docks, Rey was so soundly asleep that he couldn’t bear to wake her. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her onto the ship. He sat on a bench on the main deck, clutching the sleeping figure of his angel. At this hour, there were only the two of them seeking passage across the Nile. The captain and crew did not disturb Ben. He studied Rey’s features in the starlight, her perfect little nose, her soft eyelashes. He even loved the little wrinkle in her brow. He wondered what she dreamed about.

Ben allowed his thoughts to drift to the rose garden and the feel of her quivering form in his arms. She had been responsive to his advances. He had thought she surely would have slapped him for pulling down the neckline of her dress. He had been unable to help himself. After seeing her perfect breasts in the bath he had dreamed of little else. He had to control himself going forward. She was clearly much younger than him and innocent. A gentleman does not force himself upon a lady. 

Ben smiled to himself as he remembered their heated exchange in the alleys of Luxor.  _ You are no lady. And I am no gentleman. _

Rey began to stir during the final leg of their journey. As the last carriage ride to his home was ending, she sat up and looked at him, seemingly embarrassed to find herself curled up in his arms. She scooted a respectful distance from him, at least as far as one could get in the confines of a small carriage. Ben immediately felt the absence of her body heat with remorse.

Oh yes, he was definitely in love with this woman.

\---

As the carriage pulled up to the front of Ben’s manor house, Rey sat up and pulled herself out of her fantasy. She had been dreaming of spinning around the dance floor with Ben. His arms wrapped around her was perhaps the best dream possible. The driver opened the door and Ben stepped down first, turning to offer Rey his arm. She shivered as her bare skin touched his. 

Ben stiffened when he noticed the front door of the manor house ajar. He let go of Rey’s arm and held his hand up, indicating for her to wait on the steps. Ben stepped forward and pushed the front door all the way open, entering slowly.

“Wentworth?” He called. Rey heard a layer of concern in his voice. Perhaps he was sleeping? It was, afterall, almost 3 o’clock in the morning.

“Curse it!” Rey heard Ben shout. She hurriedly followed him into the house, where he was kneeling over the crumpled form of Wentworth. There was a bloody cut across Wentworth’s forehead, as if he had been struck with something.

“Is he dead?” Rey whispered. She was clutching nervously at the Isis bracelet on her arm. 

“No, but I think he’ll have a nasty headache tomorrow.” Ben helped Wentworth sit up. His butler let out a low groan of pain before losing consciousness. Ben scooped the man up and carried him back to his bedroom.

Rey started to follow the pair but stopped when she noticed that Ben’s study had been destroyed. Furniture was overturned and papers had been scattered across the floor. None of the other rooms look like they had been ransacked. 

Who had done this, and what were they looking for? Was it a thief hoping to find a treasure in the study of the Egyptologist? Rey shivered as she considered the other possibility. Was it the mummy? 


	9. Chapter 9

_ “O grant thou unto me a path whereon I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.” _

_ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

She woke the next morning in her bed. She was still fully dressed in her ball gown. Her shoes had been removed and her hair pins had been taken out. Rey sat up confused, trying to recall what had happened after they got home.

Wentworth! He had been attacked but had mumbled to Ben that he didn’t see the attacker. Ben had sent for a doctor who said there was no worry for permanent damage. He stitched a cut on Wentworth’s scalp and told Rey what to look out for in the upcoming days. Rey had sat by his bedside for a few hours but must have dozed off and been brought here by Ben.

She felt heat rise to her cheeks when she recalled the events of the previous evening. The dancing. The rose garden. The kiss. His hands on her.

She needed to talk to him. She still couldn’t be certain if he felt the way that she did. If his demonstrations in the rose garden were an accurate reflection of his desires, then at least, he seemed to want her. But did he want to be with her as a mistress or as a wife? If her body was all that he wanted, then it was probably not a good idea for them to continue living together. She would have to leave and find a place to live. The temptation would be too great staying any longer. Staying here seemed more and more like a path to ruin. His and hers.

Ben deserved someone else. Someone from his social circle. Someone who could read. Someone who wouldn’t embarrass his family and ruin his aspirations of being a renowned Egyptologist.

Rey sighed and quietly dressed herself in her most plain cotton day dress. She didn’t want to appear in anything low cut and give Ben the wrong impression. Last night’s gown had clearly been too much. Rey twisted her hair into three simple buns and stood to examine herself in front of the mirror.

Simple.

Plain.

Unworthy.

“I will never be good enough for him.” She whispered, reaching a hand out to touch her reflection in the mirror. “What now?” But her reflection offered no advice. It just stared back at her with sad eyes. 

\---

Upon discovering Wentworth’s crumpled body on the floor, Ben sent the stable boy to Luxor with a telegram to return with a doctor. An hour later, the doctor had arrived and examined the injured man. Ben had lurked in the doorway as Rey had aided the doctor in tending to Wentworth before falling asleep last night at his bedside. She would make a good mother some day. Ben studied her sleeping figure before carrying her to her room and tucking her into bed. He removed the pins from her hair and set them on the dresser. She didn’t stir from her slumber. 

Wentworth had mumbled about an intruder but in a brief moment of consciousness, he told them that he had not seen his attacker. Ben had been awake all night, straightening his ruined study. 

The room was nearly put back together. Ben couldn’t find anything missing, which concerned him greatly. What were they looking for? The bracelet? It had been their most valuable find this season. The Isis bracelet had been on Rey’s arm all evening. The only person he could think of that knew of its existence before last night was Unkar Plutt. 

As Ben bent to pick up his journal, he noticed a crumpled scrap of paper sticking out from it. He stood, confusion wrinkling his brow, as he opened to the scrap. A crude message was scrawled in Arabic on the paper. 

“Return the bracelet to me or I will tell the world the truth about the little scavenger slut that you have made into your whore.” 

Ben’s heart began pounding in his chest. He read the note several times. Unkar Plutt. That fool would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He must be the person pretending to be a mummy running around Luxor in search of the bracelet. He could have killed Wentworth. What would he do next? Would he actually hurt Rey? Ben would never let that happen. Ben was not concerned about his own reputation at all. He would most definitely be paying that man a visit later this afternoon, once the doctor had tended to Wentworth again.

The sound of Rey’s soft footsteps outside the study caused him to slam the journal shut and smile at her.

“Oh! You cleaned everything already? You should have waited for me. I could have helped.” Rey said quietly, entering the study. She seemed hesitant. Ben set his journal aside and took a step toward Rey. His eyes drifted down her plain dress, admiring her figure. He wanted to put his hand on her again, like in the garden last night. 

“It’s alright. I needed to keep myself busy after last night. I couldn’t sleep.” He admitted.

“You haven’t been to sleep? My goodness, Ben! Go sleep now. I will keep an eye on Wentworth. The doctor is supposed to return this afternoon to check in on our patient.” 

“I can’t. I have an errand to run in Luxor later this afternoon. Will you be alright here alone?”

“Of course. And I won’t be alone. I have the cook and the doctor will be here.” 

Ben went to the coat rack in the corner of his study and grabbed his jacket, sliding into it and straightening the lapels. He reached for a hat when Rey’s quiet voice interrupted.

“Ben? I was thinking I shouldn’t stay here anymore.”

It was almost a whisper. He wasn’t sure he actually heard her say it. Or had he imagined it?

“What?” He nearly shouted. His fingers were crushing the brim of the hat. He was probably ruining the delicate felt. 

“It wouldn’t be proper. After what happened last night…. people will talk… your reputation…” Rey’s voice trailed off.

He suppressed a laugh. She was worried about  _ his  _ reputation? Was it possible to love her even more than he already did?

“No.” He said, his voice gravelly and thick with emotion.

“No?” She looked up at him hesitantly. He could see that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. 

“You’re staying right here. In my house. With me. Because I love you.” He dropped the hat at his feet and closed the gap between them. He stopped just inches from her, but kept his hands clenched into fists at his sides. After last night, he couldn’t put his hands on her again until he knew that she felt the same.

“You… love me?” She asked as a lone tear spilled over, running down her cheek.

“Yes.”

“How? I’m just a thief. A scavenger. I’m nobody.” 

“Not to me.” He whispered, unable to stop himself from reaching for her face. He tipped her chin back and forced her to stare into his eyes. She made no move to break away from him. “Please tell me that you feel the same way.” 

“Yes!” Tears were freely pouring down her cheeks now. “Yes, I do love you.” 

Ben wasted no further time. He crushed his lips down onto hers. Rey sighed into his mouth and he tightened his grip around her waist. He was like a man dying of thirst and she was the last drop of water in the desert.

The sound of the front door opening caused the pair to jump apart.

“Hello? It’s Doctor Ackbar. Is anyone at home?”

Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and led her out to the entryway. If the Doctor noticed Ben’s rumpled jacket or Rey’s tear-stained cheeks, he did not mention them.

“Good morning Doctor Ackbar. Lady Rey is ready to assist you with our patient. He slept well through the evening.” 

“Excellent news. Lead the way, Lady Rey.” 

Ben turned to Rey and kissed the back of her hand. “I have something to take care of in Luxor this afternoon. Assist Dr. Ackbar and I will see you later for tea.”

“Alright.” Rey smiled and led Dr. Ackbar away. There was a healthy pink glow to her cheeks. Ben knew it was because of him. The sight of her did things to him. He could watch her forever. He would never let her out of his sight again.

First, he needed to deal with Unkar Plutt.

\---

Ben rode the afternoon ferry across the Nile to the east bank of Luxor. He crammed his hands in his pockets and decided to walk to Plutt’s shop instead of hiring a carriage. He didn’t want to make a scene on the way in and give Plutt a chance to avoid him. 

As he walked, he thought about Rey. She felt the same way that he did! That’s why he was on his way to Plutt’s now. The note was obviously a serious threat from that scoundrel. Ben would not allow him to torment Rey. He was going to put an end to Plutt, one way or another. 

The alleyway with Plutt’s antiquities shop was quiet. It was unusual for this time of day. Where were all the tourists? No matter to Ben. The less witnesses, the better. 

Ben dipped inside the shop and locked eyes with Plutt who was behind the counter, examining a painted jar. Probably stolen. Most definitely stolen. 

“Plutt.” Ben spat out the word.

“You. Get out of my shop!” Plutt stumbled back a step and held his arms up in front of his face.

“I got your message.” Ben stalked to the counter and slammed both his hands down, leaning in toward Plutt in a menacing fashion. He could smell stale coffee on the man’s breath. 

Plutt’s eyes widened into little saucers. He was afraid, Ben could tell. But, he wasn’t nearly frightened enough.

“You will leave her alone. You will leave my tomb alone. You will call off whatever poor soul you convinced to dress up as a mummy to scare us. If I even suspect you to be lurking in the shadows, I will destroy you and I will enjoy it.” 

“I’m not afraid of pain, Solo. But for a price, I could be convinced to forget I ever knew the girl.”

“How much?”

“That bracelet would have fetched me a very pretty sum. Thousands, perhaps. Enough to keep me well fed for many years to come.”

Ben tried to ignore the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Paying off Plutt would keep Rey safe, but it would mean that he would be funding Unkar Plutt’s illegal acquisition of antiquities. A soft whisper in his head told him that just killing the man would be the easiest course of action. He brushed that thought aside. He was not that kind of monster. He would pay off Plutt and once he was sure that Rey was safe, he would casually tip off the police about the stolen goods in Plutt’s shop.

“You will leave us alone if I pay you?”

A smile crept across Plutt’s face, revealing a set of yellow stained teeth. “Of course, good sir. I will never bother you again. You have my word.”

\---

Rey was having tea on the veranda when the sound of footsteps made her turn. Wentworth was still unwell so he was unable to announce visitors. Doctor Ackbar advised her that their patient should be up and about in a day or two. Rey was surprised to see Poe Dameron approach.

  
“Mr. Dameron! What a surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“I was looking to see if Ben was around. I heard a rumor from Lady Holdo that his mother is en route to Egypt and I thought I might warn him.”

“Ben is out running some errands, but if you’d like to join me for tea, we can wait for him together. I’m sure he would appreciate the warning. I get the impression that his mother can be overbearing.”

“Overbearing? That’s a polite way of putting it. Tea would be lovely.” Poe took a seat next to Rey and accepted a cup of hot tea.

“You grew up around Lady Solo, correct?”

“Yes, Ben and I were in the same social circle back home. You might want to be careful yourself once she arrives. Lady Solo has no tolerance for any sort of scandal. She likely already knows that you are living here with Ben.” 

Rey blushed and stammered. “We aren’t - that is to say - we haven’t--”

Poe held up his hands and shook his head. “I don’t need to know. It’s not my business. But Lady Solo will make it hers.” 

Rey was desperate to steer the conversation in a different direction. She thought back to a piece of gossip that she had heard the old biddies repeating the prior evening. “I hear your friend Mr. Storm is engaged to be married. How exciting for him.” Rey said, attempting to make polite conversation.

A dark shadow crossed Poe’s face. 

“Yes. Well. Not all of us are thrilled by his engagement.” He sounded bitter and sad.

“You don’t like the lady?”

“I have no qualms with the lady.” Poe said quietly, avoiding her gaze.

“What then? Are you worried about being a lonely unmarried bachelor? Lady Holdo certainly seemed interested in you. Perhaps wedding bells of your own are just around the corner.” 

Poe laughed bitterly and then took a deep sigh, finally locking his eyes to Rey’s.

“We are in love.”

The announcement startled Rey. She was not a fan of Lady Holdo, but to each his own she supposed. The heart wants what it wants, and all that.

“You and Lady Holdo? Well that’s wonderful!”

“No, Rey. Finn and I are in love.”

Rey froze with her teacup halfway to her lips. 

“I don’t understand. You’re always with women. Tales of you are legendary in Luxor. You stole a woman away from Ben!”

“It’s an act, Rey. And that business with Ben was before I understood my true self. Charlotte knew before I did. That’s why she left me.”

“Why go on pretending?” She knew it was a silly question, and not really any of her business but he seemed like he needed to unburden himself. 

“We can never be together. If we were to announce our love, we could be arrested. Society would shun us. We would never get sponsors. We could never work in the Valley again. We would lose everything. No, Rey. It’s better this way. It’s better to pretend.” Poe’s eyes were overflowing now with long repressed tears.

Rey felt like her heart was breaking. She had never seen someone look so lost. She couldn’t imagine how it must be to love someone and not be able to do anything about it. Suddenly her life seemed so simple. She had Ben and he loved her. 

“Oh, Poe!” Rey handed him a handkerchief and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. Poe silently wept on her shoulder as she rubbed his back, like a mother comforting a small babe.

\---

As he arrived back home, Ben thought of his earlier conversation with Rey. She loved him. He loved her. After their rather public display in the rose garden, he had compromised her. The only sensible thing to do now was to marry as quickly as possible. Now that Plutt was taken care of, he had nothing else to worry about. A quiet ceremony in the garden perhaps. 

He would ask her to marry him today. Right now. He saw no point in waiting. He went to the small wooden box in his bedroom and lifted the lid. His hands shook slightly as he pulled out his grandmother’s ring and held it up. It was an ornate gold band covered on the sides with intricate scrollwork. The center was a large square ruby. The band was so tiny but he knew that it would be a perfect fit for Rey’s delicate fingers. He tucked the ring in his pants pocket and straightened his shirt. 

His hands were sweaty. Curse it, he was nervous.

As Ben stepped out of his study onto the veranda, he spotted Rey with her arms wrapped around Poe Dameron. Poe Fucking Dameron. Ben halted and took several steps back, watching the couple embracing from the doorway. 

He had done it again. He had lost another woman to Poe Dameron.

He had only been gone a few hours and she had already flung herself into the arms of another man! While he had been away trying to secure  _ her _ safety she had betrayed him. 

He retreated to his room and reached in his pocket and pulled out his grandmother’s ring. He squeezed his fist around it, determined to crush it to dust. Ben felt his heartbeat slowing, as if the organ itself was turning to ice inside his chest.

He would never trust a woman again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for comments & kudos!  
> Completed - Ten Wise Jedi - Agatha Christie Style murder mystery  
> Completed - The Neighborhood - FBI Agents Ben & Rey. X-Files vibes  
> Completed - Flight #923 - A time loop story about a plane crash on a tropical island.   
> WIP - You Imagine an Ocean - Pirate Ben Solo (on temporary hiatus)  
> WIP - Hello Again, Little Rabbit - dark vampire story   
> WIP - An Artist’s Tale - Artist Rey/Author Ben Solo - light & fluffy love story


	10. Chapter 10

> “The gods behold me, and I have beheld the gods. The eye of Horus hath consumed me, who dwell in darkness. The gods stretch forth their arms unto me. I rise up, I get the mastery, and I drive back evil which opposeth me.”
> 
> _ -Book of the Dead _ (translation 1895 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge)

***

Rey dressed for dinner, mulling over possible reasons for Ben’s absence during tea time. She knew that he had returned from his errand but he never joined her and Mr. Dameron on the terrace. Poe had eventually left due to the lateness of the hour, unable to stay for dinner. Rey assured him that she would warn Ben of his mother’s imminent arrival. The door to Ben’s chamber was closed. She thought about knocking but some unknown fear stilled her hand. 

When she entered the dining room, Ben was already seated. Rather, he was slouched in his chair. His face was set in an icy stare. He was gripping a glass of whiskey so tight she wondered that it did not break. She noted that his eyes were glassy. His clothing was disheveled, shirt unbuttoned and tie draped haphazardly as if he had tugged at it in frustration or rage. Was he drunk? She had seen him drink a nightly glass of bourbon or port, but never to excess.

She halted near the doorway. Frankly, she was terrified of the look on his face. Something had clearly gone wrong on his errand in Luxor.

“Is everything alright? Has something happened?” She took a hesitant step toward her chair. Ben did not stand and assist her as he customarily did. He waved a hand at her, as if directing her to be seated. Something was very wrong indeed.

“Why don’t  _ you _ tell  _ me _ ?” The words tumbled out of his mouth clumsily. He drained his whiskey and reached for the bottle to pour himself another.

“Perhaps you have had enough to drink.” Rey suggested calmly. She slid into her chair and clasped her hands together on the table.

“Perhaps? Perhaps.” Ben started laughing. The laughter was devoid of mirth. The sharp bitter sound hung in the air. “Some of us need this to drown our sorrows. We aren’t all heartless, conniving little thieves.”

Ah, so the anger was directed at  _ her _ .

“I don’t know what you mean,  _ sir _ .” She called him sir although at this very moment she felt he was not at all deserving of any sort of pleasant titles. What had she done to deserve this hostility? This morning they had been professing their love and now he was calling her heartless? What could she have possibly done in that short timeframe to lose his regard for her?

“You know very well what I mean.” His voice had reached a deadly quiet.

Wentworth chose this moment to wheel in the dining cart. He recognized immediately the tension in the air. With a quick glance between his master and Rey, he turned and disappeared with the cart. 

“You are mistaken. I cannot decipher your meaning at all.” She sought to keep her voice calm and polite but felt she was on the verge of matching his rudeness.

“Then perhaps  _ Mr. Dameron _ can explain it to you.” Ben drained his whiskey again and smashed the empty tumbler down on the table.

“Mr. Dameron?” What in God’s name did this have to do with Poe?

“Tell me, how long have you been pursuing that gentleman? When you professed your love to me, was it a lie or an act? Do you delight in ensnaring men in your web like a spider? Or have you no feelings at all?”

Rey was frozen in shock and confusion, her mouth opened and closed like a fish. She started to speak but stopped herself several times before she was able to form a coherent sentence. He thought she wanted Poe? He thought her declaration of love was false? Finally something inside of her snapped.

“You drunken fool!” She finally hissed at him. “I have no feelings for Mr. Dameron other than pity. The man has no interest in me, or any other female, at all. He is in love with Mr. Storm!”

“You  _ lie _ . Dameron has already stolen one woman from me and now he seeks to take another. I saw you with your arms around him not two hours ago!”

He saw them together on the terrace? Rey felt her own anger bubbling up. The fool! If he had only come out and spoken to them instead of lurking in the shadows then this whole mess could have been avoided.

“What you saw was a woman comforting a heartbroken man. He cannot be with Mr. Storm because society has deemed it so. Mr. Storm has chosen to marry a woman he doesn’t love because he can’t have the man that he does love. Do you really think so little of me?” Rey stormed out of the dining room, almost running over Wentworth who was waiting outside with the dining cart.

Ben thundered out after her, grabbing hold of her and spinning her around before she made it down the hallway.

“Curse it! Why am I always the one making the mistakes? I love you and I want to be with you! I saw  _ him _ and I-- I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t think badly of you, only of myself. If I doubt you it’s only because I feel that I am so unworthy of love. The fault is mine. Please forgive me.” Ben sank to his knees on the floor, burying his face in her stomach.

“Oh, Ben.” Rey whispered, her fingers weaving through his hair. Her anger and hurt evaporated with his apology.

Wentworth steered the cart back into the dining room and began setting the table for dinner. By the time he emerged, the pair were locked in a rather passionate embrace. Wentworth shook his head and made himself scarce for the rest of the evening. He had never met a more foolish pair of young idiots in love.

The next morning at breakfast, Wentworth was pleased to notice that Lady Rey was wearing the Skywalker family ring. At least the young idiots in love had made one good decision.

***

For almost two weeks, the crew worked hard to clear the stone from the suspected doorway into the next chamber of the tomb. By the second week, there was enough cleared for Ben to be able to poke his head through with a torch. Once his eyes adjusted to the low light, he could make out a long corridor that went far back into the darkness. How far did it go? And more importantly, what lay at the end of it? 

There was much speculation among the crew. Several people believed they were about to uncover a vast treasure. Others believed there was nothing at all of value. What the crew especially delighted in speculating about was the relationship between Bey and Rey. Malik delighted in teasing him about his engagement. Ben had received an exceptional amount of unsolicited advice on marriage, and by extension, the marriage bed. If Ben’s face was bright red on any given day, it would be hard to know if it was from the Egyptian heat, the teasing of his crew, or the constant glances from his future wife.

The crew were in good spirits as they continued to clear the main chamber and doorway. Ben and Rey fell into an easy routine. After a long day at the dig, they resumed her reading and writing lessons. She was rapidly building her skills. She was now able to take measurements and notes for Ben without using a child’s unruly scrawl. He was kinder to her more now than ever. She was patient with him, which he thought was more than he deserved. They awoke each day more excited to work together than the day before. 

They discussed a quick engagement and small wedding, although no firm plans were yet arranged. They were content to go on as they had been for the present. At the end of each night, Ben escorted Rey to her room and kissed her goodnight. As time went on, he found it increasingly difficult to restrain himself. He wanted nothing more than to drag her to his own chamber and make her his wife in every sense of the word. Based on the difficulty Rey had tearing herself out of his arms, he was certain she felt the same.

At the end of the second week, when the final rocks were carried away from the doorway in the tomb, Malik handed Ben a torch so that he could be the first person to enter the newly unveiled corridor. The crew gathered around and watched as Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and led her into the corridor behind him. The crew waited with bated breath, listening to the sounds of boots walking on rock and sand followed by a surprised gasp from Rey.

“What do you see?” Malik called into the darkness.

There was a pause before Ben called back in a voice thick with emotion, “Wonderful things!”

***

  
That evening, they sat in Ben’s study, curled up by the fireplace. Ben scrawled furiously in his journal, trying to recapture the sights of the new corridor while Rey sketched a map of the newly discovered tomb area. In the end, the corridor had dozens of rooms on each side. The hallway appeared to be a dead end, but they then discovered evidence of two additional hallways that would need to be cleared. The main section of the tomb appeared to be “T” shaped. There were potentially dozens or even hundred more rooms that they couldn't get to yet. Each room appeared to contain a golden sarcophagus. At least, each room that they could see into. 

Ben’s mind reeled from the discovery. Gold everywhere. Treasure everywhere. Rooms as far as the eye could see. It was, without a doubt, the largest tomb in the Valley of the Kings. He had been right and nobody had believed him. It could potentially take a lifetime to clear and catalog the contents of all the chambers. Hell, it could be several lifetimes. He may be long gone from the earth before the tomb was finally cleared!

The word about his discovery spread fast. There were now dozens of armed guards patrolling in the Valley, lest any tomb robbers be encouraged to try and sneak in. Reporters were flocking to the Valley to try and get details. The damn tourists would be next. Ben was not looking forward to that. Ben had given his crew orders to take a day of rest so that they would have time to prepare themselves for the hard work yet to come. 

Ben had been receiving mail and telegrams all afternoon congratulating him on the discovery and requesting interviews and meetings. The head of the museum wanted to come and see for himself what they had found, as well as the head of the antiquities department.

At some point, Ben was so overcome with emotion that he had to stop writing.

Rey reached a hand up and cupped his face, her fingers grazing his stubble. “I’m so happy for you.”

He grabbed her hands and kissed her fingers. “I’m happy that you were there with me.”

Perhaps it was the excitement of the day, or maybe it was the way the firelight lit up her skin, but whatever the cause Ben could no longer keep his hands off of her. He pulled her into his lap, eliciting a squeak of surprise. For once, he was grateful that she was wearing her trousers instead of those ridiculous skirts. She was able to straddle him with ease. She really was such a tiny thing, he marveled as his hands rested on the curve of her waist. Rey shifted her hips forward and brushed up against the evidence of his growing desire. 

“Be with me?” He whispered. Pleaded, really. He had no idea what he would do if she refused. His eyes were searching hers for permission to continue. 

She nodded. A barely perceptible movement of her head, but it was all the sign he needed. With a groan he stood, making sure her legs were firmly wrapped around his waist and moved out of the study. He carried her down the hallway, kicking in his door and slamming it behind them once they were safely inside. 

Ben lowered her onto his bed with a gentleness that surprised her. His hands were shaking slightly, as if he was expending a great deal of energy to control himself. 

He undressed her slowly, as if unwrapping a most precious gift. First he unlaced and removed her boots, one at a time. By the time he finished with the buttons on her blouse, she had grown impatient. She sat up and threw it off across the room. She frantically grabbed at his trousers.

His hand stopped her. She looked up at him with wild eyes. “Slowly, my future wife. We have all the time in the world.” He resumed his torturous undressing and she let out a huff of frustration. 

Her naked form was everything he had imagined, and more. He stood over the bed admiring her. She did not allow him long to gaze upon her.

She pulled him down and tore at his own clothes. Where he was slow and methodical, she was wild and untamed. Several buttons flew off his shirt and bounced across the floor. With a growl, she pulled his naked form down to cover her own. Her kisses burned across his chest. She was ravenous, more so than him (if such a thing were possible). 

She wasted no time in exploring his body, her tiny hand wrapping around his cock. 

“Show me how to please you?” She whispered.

He covered her hand with his own and moved it slowly up and down. She looked up at him as she moved her hand. It felt incredible. Too good. He had to pry her hand off and press it into the mattress. If she kept going, he would not last long enough to satisfy her.

The rosy buds of her nipples called out to him. He leaned down and enveloped a small peak into his mouth. He had dreamed of this ever since he had stumbled upon her in the bath. His imagination had not done this justice. 

He traced his fingers down her abdomen and past the mound of curls. She was breathing more heavily now. He needed to prepare her for what was to come. She gasped aloud as he slid a finger inside her. She clenched around him as he slowly pumped. Curse it, she was so tight. 

“Please, I need you!” She cried, arching her back.

He took himself in hand and lined up with her entrance.

“May I?” He found her eyes with his own. He knew this next part would hurt her, and might even be unpleasant. 

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Rey whispered. The uncertainty in her eyes stabbed at his heart.

“I’m not really an expert either. Let’s figure it out together. Ok?” 

“Ok. I’m ready.” 

He used every once of control he had to slowly sink into her. They both cried aloud, her from pain and him from pleasure. Once he was fully seated inside of her, he held still to allow her time to adjust. After a short time, he felt her raise her pelvis up and he knew he was safe to move. His thrusting was slow and shallow at first. He was surprised when she grabbed the firm muscles of his buttox and pulled him down deeper into her. 

They did not speak. The only sounds were the creaking of the bed, the slapping together of their bodies. They quickly found a rhythm that pleased them both. His future wife was a quick learner. He especially enjoyed when she moaned into his mouth as his fingers found the secret spot between her legs.

Her pants and cries turned into silent screams of pleasure. She dug her fingernails into his back and he could feel her squeeze tighter around him. Her eyes had gone glassy and she seemed to be staring at something otherworldly. 

His own thrusting became erratic. Some strange animalistic cry was released from his mouth as he came inside of her. She had gone limp beneath him. He used his ruined shirt to wipe the blood and spend from her thighs. 

They curled together and he closed his eyes and joined his lady in the realm of bliss.

***

The early morning sun was persistently making its way through the window shades. Rey nuzzled her face into Ben’s neck to shield her eyes and perhaps allow her to fall back to sleep. The pair had lingered abed this morning, which was very uncharacteristic for them. 

“Mmm.” Ben murmured, wrapping his arms tightly around Rey. Their legs were tangled together. 

Rey’s hand rested on Ben’s muscular chest, just over his heart. She watched her hand rise and fall with his breaths and felt the slow and steady pulsing of his heart beneath her. She could lay like this forever. She was about to voice her thoughts on the matter when angry voices in the hallway startled them. One of the voices was distinctly feminine.

“Curse it. It’s my Mother.”

Ben’s revelation sent Rey into a state of panic. This was not the way she wanted to meet her future mother-in-law. In fact, this was the worst possible way to meet the woman. She did the only thing she could think of to get her out of this situation. Rey dove under the sheets to hide.

The door burst open and Ben’s mother, Leia Organa-Solo stormed in. She was a vision of petticoats and fury. 

“My apologies, Master Solo. I tried to have her wait in the study, but she would not!” Wentworth was lurking sheepishly in the hall, decorum preventing him from peeking inside.

“Of course, Wentworth. Don’t worry about it. Hello, Mother.” Ben mumbled sleepily.

“Hello, indeed. I presume the woman hiding under the sheet next to you is your new bride? Because no son of mine would dishonor his family by luring a female into his bed prior to taking his marriage vows.” 

“We are to be wed by the end of the week.” Ben straightened up in bed, allowing the sheet to fall to his waist. If he was hoping his state of undress would scare his mother out of the room, he was mistaken.

“Absolutely not! You will be married  _ today _ . Before the sun sets. I expect the two of you dressed and ready to go in the next ten minutes. We need flowers, a dress, a minister, a special license. So many things need to be accomplished. I will wait for you in the study.”

A heavy silence hung in the air after his mother’s declaration. Thinking his mother gone, Rey peeked her head out of the sheet to look at Ben. She gasped when she saw his mother still standing there, hands on her tiny waist. Her eyes bored into Rey’s, judging her new daughter. Rey didn’t want to think about how horrid she must look, debauched, hair unbrushed and still half asleep.

“Well, at least she’s pretty.” Leia muttered, gathering her voluminous skirts and flourishing out of the room.

“She must hate me!” Rey whispered.

“She will love you because I love you.” He wiped a small tear off her cheek. “Although, if we keep her waiting too long, she will hate us both. Are you ready to become my wife?”

“I don’t want to wait another minute!” She cried, planting a kiss on his cheek. 

The kiss did not satisfy Ben, who took things into his own hands (literally).

As it turns out, they were  _ not  _ dressed and ready to go within ten minutes. (His mother’s wishes be damned.)

***

The tomb was blissfully quiet today. There were no sounds of tools digging, breaching, invading his home. The creature opened his eyes. He was never at rest now that the desecrators had finally breached past the main hall. 

The creature whispered a silent prayer to Horus and sank back into the shadows. Waiting. Waiting. He was good at waiting. He has had millennia to practice, after all. 

They were coming for his brothers now and he would be ready to defend them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all comments & kudos! I love writing a nerdy Ben Solo. If you enjoy this one, please check out my other works.
> 
> Nerdy note - when Howard Carter first peeked into King Tut's burial chamber, he was asked if he could see anything and he responded, "Yes, wonderful things!" Ben borrows this in my story :)


End file.
